NEW YORK 
 
. ,, 
 
 ' <~s (S 
 
 / U/ 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 GIFT OK 
 
 Received Jr(flT /' 
 Accession No. <^/6 63 Class No." 
 
i 
 
ECLECTIC SCHOOL READINGS 
 
 STORIES FROM 
 
 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS 
 
 SELECTED AND EDITED BY 
 
 M. CLARKE 
 
 NEW YORK : CINCINNATI : CHICAGO 
 AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1897, BY 
 AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. 
 
 Arabian Nights. 
 W. P. I 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION . 5 
 
 STORY OF THE PORTER, THE LADIES OF BAGDAD, 
 
 AND THE THREE CALENDERS 9 
 
 STORY OF THE FIRST CALENDER ig 
 
 STORY OF THE SECOND CALENDER^ 23 
 
 STORY OF THE ENVIOUS MAN AND OF HIM WHO WAS ENVIED . 27 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE SECOND CALENDER . 30 
 
 STORY OF THE THIRD CALENDER 37 
 
 STORY OF ZOBEIDE 50 
 
 STORY OF SAFIE 55 
 
 CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGDAD . . 60 
 
 STORY OF THE CITY OF BRASS 61 
 
 STORY OF THE GENIE IN THE PILLAR 66 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE CITY OF BRASS . . 69 
 
 STORY OF GULNARE OF THE SEA 78 
 
 STORY OF KING BEDER BASIM AND THE PRINCESS JOHARAH . 84 
 
 STORY OF THE THREE SISTERS 103 
 
 STORY OF ABOU HASSAN THE WAG, OR THE SLEEPER 
 
 AWAKENED 123 
 
 3 
 
PAGE. 
 
 STORY OF ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP . 145 
 
 STORY OF PRINCE ZEYN ALASNAM AND THE SULTAN 
 
 OF THE GENIES 173 
 
 STORY OF PRINCE AHMED AND THE FAIRY PERIE 
 
 BANOU 186 
 
 PRINCE HOUSSAIN AND THE CARPET 187 
 
 PRINCE ALI AND THE IVORY TUBE 189 
 
 PRINCE AHMED AND THE APPLE 190 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE AHMED AND THE 
 
 FAIRY PERIE BANOU 191 
 
 STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR 211 
 
 SINDUAD'S FIRST VOYAGE . . . , . . . 213 
 
 SINDBAD'S SECOND VOYAGE 216 
 
 SINDBAD'S THIRD VOYAGE 220 
 
 SINDBAD'S FOURTH VOYAGE 224 
 
 SINDBAD'S FIFTH VOYAGE . . . , 228 
 
 STORY OF ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES ... 231 
 
 STORY OF THE MAN WHO REPENTED WHEN IT WAS 
 
 TOO LATE 248 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER 253 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S FIRST BROTHER 255 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S SECOND BROTHER 259 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S THIRD BROTHER 262 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S FOURTH BROTHER 267 
 

 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 
 
 The " Arabian Nights' Entertainments " are famous stories 
 that were written many centuries ago in the Arabic language. 
 It is not known who the author of them was, or in what country 
 they were first written; but it is believed that some of them 
 came originally from India, and others from Persia and Arabia. 
 
 The stories were first brought to Europe by a Frenchman 
 named Galland. He lived in the beginning of the last century, 
 and was a professor in a college in Paris. He had traveled a 
 good deal in Asia, and during his travels he found the "Arabian 
 Nights' Entertainments," or the " Thousand and One Nights," 
 as they are also called. The stories were then in manuscript, 
 for they had not yet been printed. Professor Galland translated 
 them into French, and they were soon published in English and 
 all the languages of Europe. 
 
 Other manuscript copies in Arabic of the " Thousand and One 
 Nights " were afterwards found. They contained many more 
 stories than those in Professor Galland' s book, and several 
 translations from them into English have been made. An ex- 
 cellent English translation by Edward William Lane was pub- 
 lished in 1839. From that work some of the stories in this 
 volume are in part taken. 
 
 The name " Thousand and One Nights " was given to the 
 stories because the telling of them is said to have occupied that 
 length of time. They were told to Schahriar, a great king of 
 India, by his wife, Queen Scheherazade, the narrating of them 
 being continued, from night to night, for a thousand and one 
 
 nights. 
 
 5 
 
In many of the stories mention is made of Haroun Alraschid. 
 He was a great king who lived more than a thousand years ago 
 in Bagdad, a city situated on the banks of the river Tigris, in 
 the country now known as Turkey in Asia. The kings of Bag- 
 dad had the title of Caliph, a word which means " successor." 
 They were so called because they were the successors of Mo- 
 hammed, a celebrated teacher who founded the religion which 
 since his time has prevailed in many parts of Asia, and Africa. 
 His followers are called Mohammedans, and are also known 
 as Mussulmans, or Moslems. They believe that Mohammed 
 was a great prophet, and the chosen apostle of God. This 
 belief they express in their prayers, which usually begin with these 
 words: " There is no deity but God, and Mohammed is God's 
 Apostle. ' ' The sacred book, or bible, of the Moslems is called 
 the Koran, and they believe that what it contains was told to 
 Mohammed by an angel sent down from heaven. 
 
 The Caliph of Bagdad was head of the Mohammedan religion 
 as well as king and ruler of the country. He was therefore ad- 
 dressed as "Commander of the Faithful," or "Prince of the 
 Faithful," that is of those who believed in the prophet Mo- 
 hammed. The chief minister of the Caliph was called the 
 Vizier. Besides the Caliph there were other kings in Moham- 
 medan countries. They were called Sultans, and were usually 
 subject to the authority of the Caliph. 
 
 The " Thousand and One Nights" has always been highly 
 esteemed and admired in Europe and America as well as 
 amongst the Arabs, who are great lovers of tales and romances. 
 There is, perhaps, no other book of stories in existence which 
 has afforded so much entertainment and delight to so many 
 readers, old and young. ^Of course these stories are not true, 
 but they give us a good deal of information as to the manners 
 and customs of Eastern nations.} It is, however, as stories that 
 they are mainly interesting, stories of genies and magicians, of 
 golden palaces and beautiful gardens, of wonderful voyages and 
 adventures, of strange beings and marvelous transformations, 
 
that take possession of our minds and carry us away into the 
 land of enchantment. The poet Tennyson in his " Recollections 
 of the Arabian Nights " describes in beautiful words the impres- 
 sions made upon him by those delightful tales : 
 
 " When the breeze of a joyful dawn blew free 
 In the silken sail of infancy, 
 The tide of time flow'd back with me, 
 
 The forward-flowing tide of time; 
 And many a sheeny summer morn, 
 Adown the Tigris I was borne, 
 By Bagdad's shrines of fretted gold, 
 High-walled gardens green and old; 
 True Mussulman was Land sworn, 
 For it was in the golden prime 
 Of good Haroun Alraschid. 
 
 "Anight my shallop, rustling thro' 
 The low and bloomed foliage, drove 
 The fragrant, glistening deeps, and clove 
 The citron-shadows in the blue: 
 By garden porches on the brim, 
 The costly doors flung open wide, 
 Gold glittering thro' lamplight dim, 
 And broider'd sofas on each side: 
 
 In sooth it was a goodly time, 
 
 For it was in the golden prime 
 Of good Haroun Alraschid." 
 
STORIES 
 
 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 STORY OF THE PORTER, THE LADIES OF BAGDAD, 
 AND THE THREE CALENDERS. 
 
 In the reign of Caliph Haroun Alraschid there was at Bagdad 
 a porter who was a man of great wit and humor. One day, as he 
 was at the place where he usually waited for employment, with 
 a great basket before him, a handsome lady, covered with a 
 muslin veil, came up to him and said, with an agreeable air, 
 " Porter, take your basket and follow me." The delighted 
 porter took his basket immediately, set it on his head, and fol- 
 lowed the lady, exclaiming, " Oh, happy day, oh, day of good 
 luck!" 
 
 In a short time the lady stopped before the door of a house 
 and knocked. A Christian, with a long white beard opened it, 
 and she put money into his hand without speaking. The Chris- 
 tian, who knew what she wanted, went in, and shortly after 
 brought out a large jar of excellent wine. " Take this jar," said 
 the lady to the porter, " and put it into the basket." This 
 being done, she told him to follow her, and walked on, the 
 porter still exclaiming, " Oh, day of happiness! Oh, day of 
 agreeable surprise and joy! " 
 
 The lady next stopped at a frait shop, were she bought ap- 
 ples, apricots, peaches, lemons, citrons, oranges, myrtles, lilies, 
 
 9 
 
IO 
 
 jessamine, and some other plants. She told the porter to put 
 all these things into his basket and follow her. Passing by a 
 butcher's shop, she ordered five and twenty pounds of his finest 
 meat, which was also put into the porter's basket. 
 
 At another shop she bought cucumbers, parsley, walnuts, 
 hazelnuts, and other fruits. The porter, in putting these things 
 into his basket, said, " My good lady, you should have told me 
 that you intended buying so many things, and I would have 
 brought a camel to carry them, for if you buy much more I shall 
 not be able to bear the load." The lady laughed at the fellow's 
 humor, and ordered him still to follow her. She then went to 
 a druggist's, where she bought sweet-scented waters, cloves, 
 musk, pepper, ginger, and several other Indian spices. 
 
 The porter's basket was now quite full, and she ordered him 
 to follow her. They walked till they came to a magnificent 
 house, the front of which was adorned with fine columns, and 
 a gate of ivory. There they stopped and the lady knocked 
 softly. Another lady came to open the gate, and all three, 
 after passing through a handsome vestibule, crossed a wide court 
 surrounded by an open gallery, with many fine apartments all on 
 the same floor. At the end of this court there was a raised 
 floor, with a couch in the middle, supported by four columns of 
 ebony, enriched with diamonds and pearls of an extraordinary 
 size, and covered with red satin, with bordering of Indian gold. 
 In the middle of the court there was a large basin lined with 
 white marble, and full of the purest water, which rushed from 
 the mouth of a lion of gilt bronze. 
 
 But what most attracted the attention of the porter was a third 
 beautiful lady, who was seated on the couch. This lady was 
 called Zobeide, she who opened the door was called Safie, and 
 the name of the one who had been for the provisions was Amina. 
 Then said Zobeide, speaking to the other two," Sisters, do you 
 not see that this honest man is ready to sink under his burden ? 
 Why do you not ease him of it ?" Amina and Safie then took the 
 basket, the one before and the other behind; Zobeide also 
 
II 
 
 assisted, and all three together set it on the ground, after which 
 the beautiful Amina took out money, and paid the porter liber- 
 ally. The porter was well satisfied, but when he ought to have 
 departed, he was unwilling to go, so great was his pleasure in 
 beholding three such beautiful ladies. What surprised him 
 most was that he saw no man about the house. 
 
 " Madam," said he, addressing Zobeide, " I feel that I am 
 acting rudely in staying longer than I ought, but I hope you 
 will pardon me, when I tell you that I am astonished not to see 
 a man with three ladies of such beauty; for you know that a 
 company of women without men is as melancholy as a company 
 of men without women." The ladies fell a laughing at the 
 porter's remarks, after which Zobeide said to him, " Friend, 
 you presume rather too much; and though you do not deserve 
 it, I have no objection to telling you that we are three sisters 
 who attend to our affairs with so much secrecy that no one knows 
 anything about us. A good author sayc, ' Keep thy own secret, 
 and do not tell it to any one. He that makes his secret known 
 is no longer its master. If thy own breast cannot keep thy 
 counsel, how canst thou expect the breast of another to be more 
 faithful?' "Permit me to say," answered the porter, 
 " that I also have read a maxim, which I have always practiced: 
 ' Conceal thy secret only from such as are known to be talkative, 
 and who will abuse thy confidence, but do not be afraid to tell 
 it to prudent men, because they know how to keep it.' Your 
 secret, then, is as safe with me as if locked up in a cabinet, the 
 key of which is lost, and the door sealed." 
 
 The porter, notwithstanding his maxim, would most likely 
 have been sent away if Amina had not taken his part, and said to 
 Zobeide and Safie, " My dear sisters, I beg you to let him re- 
 main; he will afford us some entertainment. Were I to repeat 
 to you all the amusing things he told me on the way, you would 
 not feel surprised at my taking his part. ' ' 
 
 At these words of Amina, the porter fell on his knees, kissed 
 the ground at her feet, and raising himself up, said, " Most 
 
12 
 
 beautiful lady, you began my good fortune to-day, and now you 
 complete it by this kind conduct; I cannot sufficiently express 
 my thanks. As to the rest, ladies," said he, addressing all 
 three sisters, " since you do me so great an honor I shall always 
 look upon myself as one of your most humble slaves. ' ' When 
 he had spoken these words he would have returned the money he 
 had received, but Zobeide ordered him to keep it. " What we 
 have once given," said she, " we never take back. We are 
 willing to allow you to stay on one condition : that you keep our 
 secret and do not ask the reason for anything you may see us do. 
 To show you that what we demand is not a new thing among us, 
 read what is written over our gate on the inside. ' ' 
 
 The porter read these words, written in large letters of gold: 
 " He who speaks of things that do not concern him, shall hear 
 things that will not please him." " Ladies," answered the por- 
 ter, " I promise that you shall never hear me utter a word about 
 what does not relate to me, or in which you may have any con- 
 cern. ' ' 
 
 Amina then brought in supper, and after she had lighted up 
 the room with tapers made of aloe wood and ambergris, which 
 yield a most agreeable perfume, as well as a delicate light, she 
 sat down with her sisters and the porter. They began to eat and 
 drink, to sing, and recite verses. When they were all as merry 
 as possible, they heard a loud knocking at the gate. Sane, 
 whose business it was, went to the porch, and soon returning, 
 said to her sisters, " There are three calenders [dervises] at 
 the door, all blind of the right eye, with their heads, faces, and 
 eyebrows shaved. They say that they are only just arrived at 
 Bagdad, where they have never been before; and, as it is dark, 
 and they know not where to lodge, they knocked at our door 
 by chance, and pray us to have pity upon them, and take them 
 in. They care not where we put them, provided they obtain 
 shelter. They are young and handsome; but I cannot, without 
 laughing, think of their amusing and exact likeness to each 
 other. My dear sisters, pray permit them to come in; they will 
 
13 
 
 afford us amusement, and put us to little expense, because they 
 ask shelter only for this night, and will leave us as soon as day 
 appears. ' ' 
 
 " Go then," said Zobeide, " and bring them in, but make 
 them read what is written over the gate." Safie ran out, and in 
 a little time returned with the three calenders. At their entrance 
 they made a low bow to the ladies, who rose up to receive them, 
 told them that they were welcome, and invited them to sit down. 
 Then the ladies served them with food, and Safie, being highly 
 pleased with them, did not let them want for wine. 
 
 When the calenders had finished their repast, they told the 
 ladies that they would entertain them with a concert of music 
 if there were any instruments in the house. The ladies will- 
 ingly agreed to the proposal, and Safie brought a tambourine, a 
 lute, and a Persian harp. Each calender took the instrument he 
 liked, and all three together began to play a tune. The ladies, 
 who knew the words of a merry song that suited the air, joined 
 the concert with their voices. But while their amusement was 
 at its height, they heard a loud knocking at the gate. Safie 
 arose and went out to see who the newcomers were. 
 
 Now it was the custom of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid to 
 go sometimes during the night through the city in disguise, to 
 discover whether everything was quiet. On this evening he 
 set out from his palace, accompanied by Giafar, his grand 
 vizier, and Mesrour, chief of the household, all dressed as 
 merchants. He it was who, in passing through the street and 
 attracted by the noise of the music and of the loud laughter, had 
 ordered his grand vizier to knock at the gate, and to demand 
 hospitality as for three travelers who knew not where to seek 
 shelter for the night. Safie, having heard their story, came 
 back and obtained permission of her sisters to admit the newly 
 arrived strangers. 
 
 The caliph and his attendants, upon their entrance, bowed 
 politely to the ladies and to the calenders. The ladies returned 
 the salute of the supposed merchants. Then Zobeide, as the 
 
14 
 
 chief, addressed them and said, " You are welcome. But while 
 you are here you must have eyes but no tongues; you must not 
 ask the reason of anything you may see, or speak of anything 
 that does not concern you, lest you may hear and see what will 
 by no means please you." 
 
 " Madam," replied the vizier, "you shall be obeyed. It is 
 enough for us to attend to our own business, without meddling 
 with what does not concern us." After this each seated him- 
 self, and the conversation became general. The caliph admired 
 the beauty, elegance, and agreeable manners of the ladies, and 
 the appearance of the three calenders, all blind of the right eye, 
 surprised him very much. He wished to learn the cause of this, 
 but the conditions the ladies had imposed upon him and his 
 companions prevented any questions. 
 
 The guests continued their conversation, but after a short 
 time Zobeide rose up, and taking Amina by the hand, said to 
 her, " Come, sister, the company shall not prevent us from doing 
 as we have always been accustomed." Amina, who perfectly 
 understood what her sister meant, got up, and took away the 
 dishes, tables, glasses, and also the instruments on which the 
 calenders had played. Sane snuffed the candles, and added 
 more aloe wood and ambergris. Having done this, she re- 
 quested the three calenders to sit on a sofa on one side, and the 
 caliph and his companions on the other. " Get up," said she 
 then to the porter, looking at him, " and be ready to assist in 
 whatever we want you. ' ' 
 
 A little while after, Amina came in with a sort of seat, which 
 she placed in the middle of the room. She then went to the 
 door of a closet, and having opened it, she made a sign to the 
 porter to approach. " Come and assist me," she cried. He 
 obeyed, and went in with her. They returned in a moment 
 after, followed by two black dogs, each of them secured by a 
 collar and chain, and both appearing as if they had been 
 severely whipped with rods. The porter brought them into the 
 middle of the apartment. 
 
15 
 
 Zobeide, now rising from her seat between the calenders and 
 the caliph, moved very gravely towards the porter. ' ' Come, ' ' 
 said she, heaving a deep sigh, " let us perform our duty." She 
 then tucked up her sleeves above her elbows, and receiving a 
 rod from Safie, "Porter," said she, " bring one of the dogs to 
 me. ' ' The porter did as he was commanded. Upon this the 
 dog began to howl in a pitiful manner, but Zobeide, having no 
 regard to its cries that resounded through the house, whipped 
 the animal 'with the rod till she was out of breath. Then 
 throwing down the rod, she lifted the dog in her arms, wiped 
 the tears from its eyes, kissed it, and ordered the porter to carry 
 it away and bring the other. She whipped the second dog in 
 the same manner; she then wept over it, dried its tears, kissed it, 
 and returned it to the porter. 
 
 The three calenders, and the caliph and his companions, were 
 extremely surprised at this. They could not understand why 
 Zobeide, after having beaten the two dogs, should weep with 
 them, wipe off their tears, and kiss them. They muttered among 
 themselves; and the caliph, longing to be informed of the 
 cause of so strange a proceeding, could not forbear making signs 
 to the vizier to ask the question. The vizier turned his head 
 another way, but being pressed by repeated signs, he answered 
 that it was not yet time to satisfy the caliph's curiosity. 
 
 Zobeide sat for some minutes in the middle of the room, 
 where she had whipped the two dogs, to recover herself of her 
 fatigue. Then Safie called to her, " Dear sister, will you not 
 be pleased to return to your place, that I also may act my part ? ' ' 
 "Yes, sister," replied Zobeide; and she went and sat down 
 upon the sofa, having the caliph, Giafar, and Mesrour, on her 
 right hand, and the three calenders, with the porter, on her left. 
 
 The whole company now remained silent for some time. At 
 last Safie, sitting on a chair in the middle of the room, said to 
 Amina, " Dear sister, I beg you to rise; you know what I would 
 say." Amina rose, and went into another closet near to that in 
 \\hich the dogs were, and brought out a case covered with yel- 
 
i6 
 
 low satin, richly embroidered with gold and green silk. She 
 opened the case, and took from it a lute, which she gave to Sane. 
 After some time spent in tuning it, Sane began to play, and, ac- 
 companying the instalment with her voice, sang a song about 
 the pain that absence causes to lovers. Having sung with much 
 sweetness, she said to Amina, " Pray take it, sister, for my voice 
 fails me; oblige the company with a tune and song in my 
 stead." " Very willingly," replied Amina, who, taking the 
 lute from her sister Safie, sat down in her place. She sang 
 most delightfully, but no sooner had she finished than Safie 
 fell upon the floor in a swoon, and on opening her dress 
 to give her air, they saw that her breast was covered with fearful 
 scars. 
 
 Whilst Zobeide and Amina ran to help their sister, the caliph 
 inquired of one of the calenders, "Can you not inform me about 
 these two black dogs, and the . lady who appears to have been 
 so illtreated ? " "Sir," said the calender, "we never were 
 here before now, and we entered the house only a few minutes 
 sooner than you did." This increased the astonishment of the 
 caliph. " Perhaps," said he, " the man who is with you can 
 give us some information ? ' ' The calender made signs to the 
 porter to draw near, and asked him if he knew why the black 
 dogs had been beaten, and why Safie was so scarred. " Sir," 
 replied the porter, "if you know nothing of the matter, I know 
 as little as you do. I never was in this house until now; and 
 if you are surprised to see me here, I am as much so to find you." 
 
 The caliph, more and more astonished at all he heard, de- 
 termined that he would have an explanation of these mysterious 
 proceedings. But the question was, who should first make the 
 inquiry ? The caliph endeavored to persuade the calenders to 
 speak first, but they excused themselves. At last they all 
 agreed that the porter should be the man. While they were 
 consulting how to put the question, Safie having recovered from 
 her fainting, Zobeide approached them, and inquired, " What 
 are you talking of ? What is your contest about ? " 
 
The porter then addressed her as follows: " These gentlemen, 
 madam, beg you to explain why you wept with the dogs, after 
 having treated them so ill, and how it has happened that the 
 breast of the lady who fainted is covered with scars ? ' ' 
 
 Hearing the porter's words Zobeide put on a very stern look, 
 and turning towards the rest of the company, said, "Is it 
 true, gentlemen, that you told him to ask me these questions ? ' ' 
 All of them, except the vizier Giafar, who spoke not a word, 
 answered, " Yes." Zobeide then exclaimed, in a tone of anger, 
 " Before we granted you the favor of receiving you into our 
 house, we imposed the condition that you should not speak of 
 anything that did not concern you, lest you might hear that which 
 would not please you. Yet, after having received our hos- 
 pitality, you break your promise." As she spoke these words, 
 she gave three stamps with her foot, and clapping her hands as 
 often together, cried, " Come quickly ! " Upon this a door 
 flew open, and seven black slaves rushed in; each one seized 
 a man, threw him on the ground, and dragged him into the 
 middle of the room, holding a scimitar over his head. 
 
 We may easily imagine how alarmed the caliph was. He now 
 repented that he had not taken the advice of his vizier, seeing 
 that through their foolish curiosity they were in danger of losing 
 their lives. But at this point one of the slaves said to Zobeide 
 and her sisters, " Would it riot be right to question them 
 first?" Then Zobeide, with a grave voice, said to them, 
 " Answer me, and tell who you are, otherwise you shall not live 
 one moment longer. I cannot believe that you are honest men, 
 or persons of distinction in your own countries; for if you were 
 you would have been more modest and more respectful to us. ' ' 
 
 The caliph was angry to find his life depending upon the 
 command of a woman; but he began to have some hope 
 when she asked who they all were; for he thought that she 
 would not take away his life when she knew who he was. He 
 therefore whispered to his vizier, telling him to say at once that 
 he was the caliph. But the wise vizier, being more prudent 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 2 
 
iS 
 
 resolved to save his master's honor, and not let the company 
 know the affront he had brought upon himself by his own im- 
 prudence; and so he answered, " We have what we deserve." 
 But if he had intended to speak as the caliph commanded him, 
 Zobeide would not have allowed him time; for turning to the 
 calenders, and seeing them all blind of one eye, she asked if they 
 were brothers. One of them answered, " No, madam, except 
 that we are calenders ; that is to say, we observe the same rules. ' ' 
 " Were you born blind of the right eye ? ' ' continued she. " No, 
 madam," answered he; "I lost my eye in such a surprising 
 adventure that it would be instructive to every one to hear it." 
 Zobeide put the same question to the others in their turn, 
 and the last replied, " Pray, madam, show some pity on us, for 
 we are all the sons of kings. Although we have never seen each 
 other before this evening, we have had sufficient time to become 
 acquainted with this circumstance; and I can assure you that 
 the kings, our fathers, have been talked of in the world." 
 
 Hearing this, Zobeide became less angry, and said to the 
 slaves, " Give them their liberty awhile, but remain where 
 you are. Those who tell us their history, and the reason of 
 their coming, do them no hurt, let them go where they please, 
 but do not spare those who refuse to give us that satisfaction. ' ' 
 
 The three calenders, the caliph, the grand vizier Giafar, the 
 captain of his guards, and the porter, were all in the middle of 
 the hall, seated upon a carpet in the presence of the three 
 ladies, who reclined upon a sofa, and the slaves stood ready to 
 do whatever their mistresses should command. 
 
 The porter spoke first, and briefly related the adventures of the 
 morning with Amina, and the kindness to him of herself and her 
 sisters in the evening, which he declared to be the whole of his 
 history. 
 
 When he had concluded, Zobeide said to him, " Save thyself 
 and begone, and never let us see thee again." " I beg of you, 
 madam," replied he, "to let me remain a little longer. It 
 would be unfair that I should not hear their histories, after they 
 
19 
 
 have had the pleasure of hearing mine. ' ' So saying he took his 
 place at the end of the sofa, delighted at finding himself free 
 from the danger which had so much alarmed him. One of tha 
 calenders then told his story as follows, addressing Zobeide: 
 
 STORY OF THE FIRST CALENDER. 
 
 Madam, I am the son of a sultan. My father had a brother 
 who reigned over a neighboring kingdom. His son, my cousin, 
 and I were nearly the same age. I went regularly every year to 
 see my uncle, at whose court I amused myself for a month or 
 two, and then returned home. 
 
 On one of these occasions my cousin said to me, "Cousin, 
 I have need of your assistance in an affair of interest to me, and 
 I beg that you will not oppose me in that which I desire to do. ' ' 
 I replied, " I am altogether at your service." Then he went 
 away for a little while, and returned followed by a woman decked 
 with ornaments, and wearing a dress of extraordinary value. 
 He looked towards me, while the woman stood behind him, and 
 said, " Take this woman and go before me to the burial ground," 
 and he described it to me, and I knew it. He then added, 
 " Enter the burial ground, and wait for me." 
 
 I could not oppose him, or refuse to comply with his request, 
 on account of my promise, so I took the woman, and went with 
 her to the burial ground. When we had sat there a short time, 
 my cousin came, bearing a basin of water, and a bag containing 
 some plaster, and a small adze. Going to a tomb in the midst 
 of the burial ground, he took the adze and separated the stones, 
 which he placed on one side. He then dug up the earth with 
 the adze and uncovered a flat stone, of the size of a small door, 
 under which there was a staircase. Having done this, he made 
 a sign to the woman, and she descended the stairs. He then 
 said to me, " Cousin, complete thy kindness, when I have de- 
 scended into this place, by pulling back the trapdoor and the 
 
2O 
 
 earth above it as they were before. Then take this plaster 
 which is in the bag, and this water which is in the basin, and mix 
 them together, and plaster the stones of the tomb as they were, 
 so that no man may know it. ' ' 
 
 As soon as he disappeared from before my eyes, I replaced 
 the trapdoor, and did as he had ordered me, until the tomb was 
 restored to the state in which it was at first. Then I returned 
 to the palace of my uncle, who was absent on a hunting excur- 
 sion. I slept that night, and when the morning came, I thought 
 upon what had occurred between me and my cousin, and re- 
 pented of what I had done for him. I then went out to the 
 burial ground and searched for the tomb, but could not discover 
 it. I searched until the approach of night, and, not finding if, 
 returned again to the palace. I neither ate nor drank, my heart 
 was so troubled about my cousin, not knowing what had become 
 of him. I passed the night sorrowfully until the morning, and 
 went again to the burial ground, and I searched among the 
 tombs, but could not discover what I looked for. Thus I 
 searched seven days without success. 
 
 Then T resolved upon returning home, and so I set out at 
 once for my father's capital. But when I arrived I found, con- 
 trary to the custom, a numerous guard at the gate of the palace. 
 They surrounded me as I entered, and the commanding officer 
 said, " Prince, the army has made the grand vizier sultan, instead 
 of your father, who is dead, and I take you prisoner in the name 
 of the new sultan."- 
 
 This rebel vizier had always hated me. When I was a boy I 
 loved to shoot with a crossbow, and one day, on the terrace of the 
 palace, a bird happening to fly by, I shot and missed him. But 
 the arrow hit the vizier, who was taking the air upon the terrace 
 of his own house, and put out one of his eyes. He never forgave 
 me, and now that he had me in his power, he came to me like 
 a mad man, and, thrusting his finger into my right eye, pulled it 
 out, and thus I became blind of one eye. 
 
 But his cruelty did not stop here. He commanded the exe- 
 
21 
 
 cutioner to cut off my head, and leave me to be devoured by 
 birds of prey. The executioner conveyed me to the place of exe- 
 cution to carry out this barbarous sentence, but by my prayers and 
 tears I moved the man to pity, and he said, " Go, get you speed- 
 ily out of the kingdom, and never return, or you will destroy 
 yourself and me." I thanked him, and, as soon as I was left 
 alone, comforted myself for the loss of my eye by considering 
 that I had escaped a much greater evil. 
 
 Then I went to my uncle's capital, and told him of what had 
 happened to my father, and of the manner in which I had lost 
 my eye. He wept bitterly, and said, " Thou hast added to my 
 trouble and my grief, for thy cousin has been lost for some days, 
 and I know not what has happened to him, and no one can tell 
 me." Then he wept again, until he became insensible; and 
 when he recovered, he said, " O my boy, the loss of thine eye 
 is better than the loss of thy life. ' ' 
 
 Upon this I could no longer keep silence about his son, my 
 cousin, so I informed him of all that had happened to him. 
 On hearing my story he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, " Show 
 me the tomb." " O my uncle," I replied, " I know not where 
 it is, for I went afterwards several times to search for it, and 
 could not find the place." We, however, went together to the 
 burial ground, and, looking to the right and left, I discovered 
 it, and both I and my uncle rejoiced. I then entered the tomb 
 with him, and when we had removed the earth, and lifted up the 
 trapdoor, we descended fifty steps. 
 
 When we arrived at the bottom of the stairs, there issued forth 
 upon us a smoke which blinded our eyes. Then my uncle pro- 
 nounced these words: " There is no strength nor power but in 
 God, the High, the Great." After this we went on, and soon 
 found ourselves in a room filled with flour and grain and various 
 eatables, and, looking around, my uncle found his son and the 
 woman who had descended with him turned into black charcoal, 
 as if they had been thrown into a pit of fire. When he saw 
 this he was sorely distressed, and he said to me, " O son of my 
 
22 
 
 brother, this son of mine was in love with his foster sister, and 
 I reproved him severely, and separated him from her, and her 
 from him. And when my son saw that I had separated him, 
 he secretly made this place, and they came and concealed them- 
 selves here, and now they are punished for their disobedience. ' ' 
 He then wept, and I wept with him, and he said to me, " Thou 
 art my son in his stead. ' ' 
 
 We then ascended, and, having replaced the trapdoor and the 
 earth above it, and fixed the tomb in its former "state, we re- 
 turned to the palace. But we had hardly been seated when we 
 heard the sounds of drums and trumpets, and the air was filled 
 with dust raised by horses' hoofs. Our minds were troubled, 
 not knowing what had happened, and soon a messenger came to 
 the king and told him, " The vizier of thy brother has slain 
 him, and his soldiers and guards, and he has come with his 
 army to take this city, and the inhabitants, being unable to re- 
 sist, have submitted to him." Then I said within myself, " If 
 I fall into his hands he will slay me." Grief overwhelmed me, 
 and I scarcely knew what to do, for if I went out of doors in my 
 usual dress, the people of the city would know me, and the 
 troops of my father would kill me. 
 
 Then I caused my beard and my eyebrows to be shaved, and 
 putting on a calender's habit, I passed, unknown by any, out of 
 the city. I avoided the towns till I arrived at the empire of the 
 renowned caliph, Haroun Alraschid, when I ceased to fear. I 
 resolved to come to Bagdad, and throw myself at the feet of that 
 great king, and beg his help. After a journey of several months, 
 I arrived yesterday at the gate of this city, into which I entered 
 at dusk. As I entered, another calender came up and saluted 
 me, and I saluted him. " You appear," said I, " to be a 
 stranger, as I am." " You are not mistaken," replied he. He 
 had no sooner said this, than a third calender overtook us. He 
 saluted us, and told us he was a stranger, newly come to Bagdad. 
 Then we joined together as brethren, resolving not to separate 
 from one another. 
 
23 
 
 It was now late, and we knew not where to seek a lodging in 
 the city. But good fortune having brought us to your gate, we 
 made bold to knock, and you have received us with so much 
 kindness that we know not how to thank you. This, madam, 
 is how I lost my right eye, and how I came to be with you to- 
 night. 
 
 " It is enough," said Zobeide; " you may retire to what place 
 you see fit. ' ' The calender begged permission to stay until he 
 had heard the stories of his two comrades, and of the three other 
 persons in company. Then the second calender began his story, 
 which he told as follows: 
 
 STORY OF THE SECOND CALENDER. 
 
 You must know, madam, that I am a prince by birth, for I am 
 the son of a sultan. In my youth I had good ability and my 
 father gave me an excellent education. As soon as I was able 
 to read and write I learned the Koran from beginning to end 
 by heart, and all the sayings of our prophet, and the works of 
 poets. I studied astronomy and all the other sciences, and 
 was skilled in all such exercises as were proper for a prince to 
 practice. But one thing I was particularly fond of, and that was 
 penmanship. In this I excelled all the celebrated penmen of 
 our kingdom. 
 
 The fame of my learning reached the emperor of Hindostan, 
 who sent an ambassador with rich presents to my father, and in- 
 vited me to his court. My father having consented, I set out 
 with the ambassador. 
 
 When about a month on our journey, we saw in the distance an 
 immense cloud of dust, and soon afterward we saw fifty fierce 
 horsemen, sons of the desert, well armed. They rode forward, 
 pointing their spears as if to attack us, and, not being able to 
 fight them, we told them we were ambassadors of the sultan of 
 India. But the sons of the desert answered, " Why do you wish 
 
24 
 
 us to respect the sultan, your master ? We are not his subjects. ' ' 
 They then attacked us on all sides. They killed some of our men 
 and the rest fled. I also fled after I had received a severe wound. 
 
 I then went on without knowing where I was going, and I 
 journeyed till I came to a cave at the foot of a mountain. Here 
 I rested for the night. In the morning I started out again, and 
 traveled till I came to a large town. The winter with its cold 
 had passed away, and spring with its flowers had come, and I 
 rejoiced at arriving there, as I was wearied with my long journey. 
 Being a stranger I knew not where to turn my steps in the town, 
 but seeing a tailor working in his shop, I went up to him and 
 spoke to him. He made me sit down by him, and asked me 
 what had brought me there. I told him all that had happened 
 to me, and who I was. He listened to me with attention, and 
 brought me something to eat. He also offered me lodging in his 
 house, which I accepted. 
 
 Some days after my arrival, the tailor asked me if I knew 
 any trade by which I could earn a living. I told him that I was 
 well acquainted with the laws, that I was a poet and, above all, 
 that I could write well. " None of these things will be of any 
 use to you here," he said. " If you will take my advice you will 
 get a short jacket, and as you are strong and in good health, you 
 may go into the neighboring forest and cut wood for fuel. 
 You may then go and sell it in the market. By these means you 
 will be able to wait till better fortune comes for you. ' ' 
 
 The next day the tailor brought me a rope, a hatchet, and a 
 short jacket, and recommended me to some poor people who 
 gained their bread in the same manner, that they might take me 
 into their company. They conducted me to the wood, and the 
 first day I brought in as much upon my head as was worth half 
 a piece of gold. I gained a good sum of money in a short time, 
 and repaid the tailor what he had lent me. 
 
 I continued this way of living for a whole year. One day, 
 having by chance gone farther into the wood than usual, I hap- 
 pened to come to a pleasant spot, where I began to cut; and in 
 
25 
 
 pulling up the root of a tree I saw an iron ring, fastened to a 
 trapdoor of the same metal. I took away the earth that covered 
 it, and, lifting it up, discovered a flight of stairs, which I de- 
 scended with my ax in my hand. 
 
 \Yhen I reached the bottom, I found myself in a palace, which 
 was as well lighted as if it had been above ground in the open 
 air. I went forward along a gallery supported by pillars of 
 jasper, the base and capitals being of massy gold. Then I saw 
 a lady of noble appearance and great beauty coming towards me. 
 I hastened to meet her; and as I was making a low bow, she 
 asked me, " Are you a man or a genie ? " "A man, madam," 
 said I. "By what adventure," said she, " have you come to this 
 place ? I have lived here twenty-five years, and you are the first 
 man I have seen in that time." 
 
 Her words sounded sweetly to me, and I answered, " God has 
 brought me to thy abode, and I hope will now put an end to my 
 trouble and grief." Then I told her my story from beginning 
 to end. " Alas, prince," she replied, " the most. delightful spots 
 cannot give us pleasure when we are there against our will. But 
 now hear my story. 
 
 "I am a princess, the daughter of a sultan, the king of the 
 Ebony Island. The king, my father, chose for my husband a 
 prince, who. was my cousin. But on the very night of the mar- 
 riage, in the midst of our rejoicings, a genie took me away, and, 
 soaring with me through the air, carried me to this place. I have 
 passed twenty-five years here, where the genie provides for me 
 everything that I require. Every ten days he pays me a visit. 
 But if I wish to see him at any other time, or if I want for any- 
 thing, I have only to touch with my hand these two lines which 
 are written on this door. The lines are a talisman, or charm, and 
 when they are touched the genie appears. It is now four days 
 since he was here, and I have to wait six days more before he 
 again makes his appearance. You may remain, therefore, five 
 days with me, if it be agreeable to you to keep me company, 
 and I will endeavor to entertain you pleasantly." 
 
26 
 
 The princess then conducted me to a bath, and when I came 
 out of it, instead of my own clothes, I found a costly and beauti- 
 ful robe prepared for me. Then she covered a table with several 
 dishes of delicate meats, and we ate together, and passed the 
 evening in great happiness. 
 
 The next day I said to her, "Fair princess, you have been too 
 long buried alive in this underground palace. Pray rise, follow 
 me, and enjoy the light of day, of which you have been deprived 
 so many years. Have no fear of the genie. For my part, I fear 
 him so little that I will destroy his talisman, with the inscrip- 
 tion that is upon it. Let him come; and no matter how power- 
 ful he is I will defy him. ' ' On saying this I gave the door a 
 violent kick, and broke the talisman in pieces. 
 
 Immediately the whole palace shook as if ready to fall to 
 atoms, and the walls opened to give a passage to the genie. The 
 princess was greatly frightened, and at her earnest request I took 
 to flight. Hastily putting on my own dress, I ascended the 
 stairs leading to the forest, and reached the town in safety. 
 The tailor was very glad to see me. But in my haste I had left 
 my hatchet and cord in the princess's palace. Shortly after my 
 return, while sitting in my room thinking over this loss, and the 
 cruel treatment which the princess would receive from the genie, 
 the tailor came to me and said, " In the shop is a stranger who 
 asks for thee, and he has thy ax and cord. He came with them 
 to the woodcutters, and said to them, ' I went out at the time of 
 morning prayer, and found these, and know not to whom .they 
 belong; can ye direct me to their owner ? ' The woodcutters 
 directed him to thee; he is sitting in my shop; so go out to him 
 and thank him, and take thy ax and thy cord. ' ' On hearing these 
 words I turned pale, and trembled, and while in this state the 
 floor of my chamber opened, and the stranger appeared out of 
 the opening, and behold he was the genie ! He grasped me by 
 the middle, dragged me out of the room, and, mounting into 
 the air, carried me up to the skies with extraordinary swiftness. 
 He descended again to the earth, and with a stamp of his foot 
 
27 
 
 he caused the ground to open. Then I found myself in the 
 enchanted palace, before the fair princess of the Isle of 
 Ebony. 
 
 The genie now drew his sword and declared that he would give 
 life and liberty to either of us who would cut off the head of 
 the other. We both refused, saying that we would die rather 
 than do such a cruel thing. " I see," said the genie, " that 
 you both defy me, but both of you shall suffer for it. " Then the 
 monster slew the princess. I fainted at the sight. When I 
 came to myself again I expected that he would immediately put 
 me to death, but instead of killing me he said, " That is how 
 genies punish those who offend them. Thou art the least to 
 blame, and I will content myself with changing thee into a dog, 
 an ape, a lion, or a bird; take thy choice of any of these; I will 
 leave it to thyself." 
 
 These words gave me hope of being able to appease his anger, 
 and so I said, " O genie, since you will not take away my life, 
 pardon me freely, as a certain good man pardoned one who envied 
 him." " And how was that ? " asked the genie. I answered as 
 follows : 
 
 STORY OF THE ENVIOUS MAN AND OF HIM WHO WAS 
 ENVIED. 
 
 In a certain town there was a man who had a neighbor that 
 envied him, and the more the neighbor envied him the more God 
 gave him prosperity. This continued for a long time until the 
 neighbor began to trouble him so much that the good man re- 
 solved to go and live elsewhere. He therefore sold his house, 
 and went to another city at no great distance, and bought a 
 house near a well that was no longer in use. The good man then 
 put on the dress of a dervise, and in a short time he formed a 
 society of dervises. He soon came to be known for his virtue, 
 by which he gained the respect of many persons, rich and poor. 
 
28 
 
 People came from afar to ask his prayers, and all who visited 
 him told of the blessings they received through his means. 
 
 Now the envious man, hearing this, was jealous and angry, and 
 he resolved to ruin the good dervise. So he went to the new 
 convent of dervises, of which his former neighbor was the head. 
 The good dervise received him with tokens of friendship. 'Then 
 the envious man told him that he had come to speak with him 
 on business of importance, which he could do only in private; 
 " and that nobody may hear us," he said, " let us take a walk 
 in your court, and as night is drawing on, command your dervises 
 to retire to their cells. ' ' The chief of the dervises did as he was 
 requested. When the envious man saw that he was alone with 
 the other, he began to talk to him, walking side by side in the 
 court, till he saw his opportunity. Then, getting the dervise 
 near the brink of the well, he gave him a thrust, and pushed 
 him into it. 
 
 Now this old well was inhabited by genies, which was lucky 
 for the dervise, for they received and supported him, and carried 
 him to the bottom, so that he got no hurt. The dervise won- 
 dered very much at this. He could not understand how he had got 
 to the bottom without being hurt, for he neither saw nor felt any- 
 thing. But soon he heard a voice, which said, " Do you know 
 what honest man this is, whom we have saved ? " Another voice 
 answered, " No," to which the first voice replied, " Then I will 
 tell you. This man, out of charity, left the town he lived in, and 
 came here in hopes to cure one of his neighbors of the envy he 
 had against him. But the good man gained such respect from 
 everybody that the envious man followed him to niin him. He 
 would have done this evil thing if we had not saved the good 
 dervise, whose fame is so great that the sultan, who lives in the 
 neighboring city, was to visit him to-morrow, to recommend the 
 princess, his daughter, to his prayers." 
 
 Then the other voice asked, " What need has the princess of 
 the dervise' s prayers?" To this the first answered, " You do 
 not know, it seems, that she is insane. But I well know how 
 
2 9 
 
 / 
 
 this good dervise could cure her. He has a black cat in his 
 convent, with a white spot at the end of her tail, about the 
 size of a small piece of Arabian money. Let him only pull 
 seven hairs out of the white spot, burn them, and fume the 
 princess's head with the smoke, and she will be immediately 
 cured." 
 
 The dervise heard every word of this conversation, and in the 
 morning as soon as daylight appeared, he saw a hole through 
 which he crept out of the well with ease. He then went at once 
 to the convent, and, taking the black cat, pulled seven hairs from 
 the white spot on her tail, and laid them carefully aside. 
 
 Soon after sunrise, the sultan arrived at the gate of the con- 
 vent. He commanded his guards to halt, whilst he with his 
 principal officers went in. The dervises received him with the 
 greatest respect. The sultan then called their chief aside, and 
 said, "Good dervise, you are probably acquainted with the cause 
 of my visit." " Yes, sir;" replied he; "if I do not mistake, 
 it is because of the disease of the princess. If your majesty will 
 be pleased to let her come here, I hope, through God's assist- 
 ance, that I shall be able to cure her. ' ' 
 
 The sultan, in great joy, sent immediately for his daughter, 
 who soon appeared with many ladies and attendants. The chief 
 of the dervises then caused a carpet to be held over her head, and 
 he threw the seven hairs upon burning coals, and with the 
 smoke he fumed the head of the princess. Immediately she re- 
 covered her reason and was entirely cured. The sultan, 
 greatly rejoicing, embraced his daughter and kissed her. He 
 also kissed the dervise's hands, and said to his officers, " What 
 reward does he deserve for curing my daughter ? ' ' They all 
 cried, " He deserves to have her in marriage." " That is what 
 I also think," said the sultan; " and I will make him my son- 
 in-law from this moment." So the dervise was immediately 
 married to the princess. Some time afterwards the vizier died, 
 and the sultan made the good dervise his vizier. The sultan 
 himself also died without heirs, upon which the army and the 
 
^^""ITilgjEr^ 
 
 i.,._....., .n,|, . ^^ -. >-._.._ 
 
 R P' fn f 
 
 .X---. - . , ,>/,^ \ \ : \ -, i tm 
 
 Drawn by R. B. Birch. 
 (..o) 
 
 THE CURE OF THE PRINCESS. 
 
people all agreed that the dervise should be declared sultan, 
 and so it was done. 
 
 Thus was the good man rewarded for his virtue. He had now 
 great power, and he could have punished the envious man if he 
 had wished, but instead of doing so he treated him with kind- 
 ness. One day, as he was riding out at the head of his troops, he 
 saw the envious man among the crowd that stood as he passed 
 along, and calling his vizier he whispered in his ear, " Go, bring 
 me that man you see there, but take care you do not frighten him. ' ' 
 The vizier obeyed, and when the envious man was brought into 
 his presence, the sultan said, " Friend, I am extremely glad to 
 see you." Then he called an officer and said to .him, " Go im- 
 mediately and pay to this man out of my treasury one hundred 
 pieces of gold; give him also twenty loads of the richest mer- 
 chandise in my storehouses, and a sufficient guard to conduct him 
 to his home." 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE SECOND 
 CALENDER. 
 
 Having finished my story I then said to the genie, "That was the 
 way the dervise acted towards the envious man who injured 
 him. He pardoned him and conferred favors on him, instead 
 of punishing him, and so, genie, ought you to do to me." But 
 I. could not move the monster to pity. " All that I can do for 
 thee, " said he, " is to grant thee thy life, but I must place thee 
 under enchantment. ' ' 
 
 So saying, he seized me violently and carried me through the 
 arched roof of the underground palace, which opened to give 
 him passage. He ascended with me into the air to such a height 
 that the earth appeared like a little white cloud. He then de- 
 scended with great rapidity, and alighted upon the top of a 
 mountain. Here he took up a handful of earth, and, muttering 
 some words which I did not understand, threw it upon me. 
 
32 
 
 *' Quit," said he, " the form of a man and take that of an ape." 
 He instantly disappeared and left me there, changed into an ape, 
 and overwhelmed with sorrow, in a strange country, not knowing 
 whether I was near my father's kingdom or far from it. 
 
 I descended the mountain, and entered a level country, which 
 took me a month to travel over, and then I came to the seaside. 
 The sea happened at the time to be perfectly calm, and I saw a 
 vessel a few miles from the shore. Not to miss so good a 
 chance of escape, I broke off a large branch from a tree, carried 
 it into the sea, and placed myself astride upon it, with a stick in 
 each hand to serve me for oars. I launched out on this frail bark, 
 and rowed towards the ship. When I approached near enough 
 to.be seen, the crew and passengers looked at me with astonish- 
 ment. In the mean time, laying hold of a rope, I jumped upon 
 the deck, but having lost my speech, I found myself in great diffi- 
 culty, and indeed the danger I was then in was not less than 
 when I was at the mercy of the genie. 
 
 The merchants in the ship thought that if they let me remain 
 on board I should be the cause of some misfortune to them 
 during their voyage, for they imagined I was some evil thing. 
 They therefore said, " Let us throw him into the sea." They 
 would . certainly have done so had I not gone to the captain, 
 thrown myself at his feet, and taken hold of his skirt in a beg- 
 ging posture. This action, together with the tears which he saw 
 gush from my eyes, moved him to pity. He took me under his 
 protection, and treated me very kindly. On my part, though I 
 had not the power to speak, I showed by my gestures every mark 
 of gratitude in my power. 
 
 Soon afterwards a wind arose, and it continued to blow in the 
 same direction for fifty days, bringing us safe to the harbor of a 
 large city, where we cast anchor. Our vessel was instantly sur- 
 rounded with numbers of boats full of people. Some officers of 
 the sultan then came on board, and said, " The sultan, our 
 master, rejoices at your safe arrival, and he begs that each of 
 you will write a few lines upon this paper. Our vizier, a clever 
 
33 
 
 man who wrote beautifully, died a few days since, and the sultan 
 has made a vow not to give the place to any one who cannot 
 write equally well. No one has yet been thought worthy of the 
 place." 
 
 Those of the merchants on board who could write well wrote 
 one after another on the piece of paper. After they had done, 
 I advanced, and took the paper, but all the people cried out 
 that I would tear it or throw it into the sea, till they saw how 
 I held it, and made a sign that I would write. Their fear then 
 changed into wonder. But as they had never seen an ape that 
 knew how to write, and could not think that I was more clever 
 than others of my kind, they wished to snatch the paper out 
 of my hand, but the captain took my part once more. " Let 
 him alone," said he; " allow him to write. " I then took the 
 pen, and wrote six sorts of handwriting used among the Arabians, 
 and each specimen contained four lines of poetry in praise of 
 the sultan. As soon as I had finished the officers carried the 
 roll of paper away. 
 
 When the paper was shown to the sultan he took little notice 
 of any of the writing except mine, which pleased him so much 
 that he said to the officers, ' ' Take the finest horse in my stable, 
 with the richest trappings, and a robe of the most beautiful 
 brocade to put on the person who wrote this, and bring him here. ' ' 
 At this command the officers could not forbear laughing. The 
 sultan was angry at their rudeness, and would have punished 
 them, only that they said, " Sir, we humbly beg your Majesty's 
 pardon. These lines were not written by a man, but by an ape. ' ' 
 "What do you say? "cried the sultan. "Those beautiful 
 letters not written by the hands of a man ! " " No, sir," re- 
 plied the officers; " we assure your Majesty that it was an ape 
 who wrote them in our presence. ' ' The sultan was astonished, 
 and he said to the officers, " Bring that wonderful ape here 
 immediately." 
 
 The officers returned to the vessel, and told the captain, who 
 answered, " The sultan's command must be obeyed. ' ' Then they 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 3 
 
34 
 
 clothed me with the rich brocade robe, and carried me ashore, 
 where they placed me on horseback, and the sultan waited for 
 me with a number of his ministers of state. 
 
 A procession was now formed, and we set out for the royal 
 palace. The streets, the windows, terraces, and houses, were 
 filled with a vast number of people who flocked from every part 
 of the city to see me, for the rumor spread in a moment that the 
 sultan had chosen an ape to be his grand vizier. 
 
 Arrived at the sultan's palace, I found the sultan on his throne 
 in the midst of his ministers. I bowed three times very low, 
 and then kneeled and kissed the ground before him, after which 
 I took my seat in the posture of an ape. The whole assembly 
 viewed me with wonder. They were astonished that an ape 
 should know so well how to pay respect to the sultan, and he him- 
 self was more astonished than any. 
 
 The sultan now dismissed his ministers for the day, and none 
 remained by him but myself, the chief of the attendants of the 
 palace, and a young slave. He then went from his chamber 
 of state into his own private apartment, where he had ordered 
 dinner to be brought. As he sat down, he made a sign to me 
 to approach and eat. I arose, kissed the ground, and placed 
 myself at the table. After dinner I washed my hands, and 
 taking a pen and paper, I wrote some verses expressing my 
 thanks to the sultan, and I presented them to him. I also 
 wrote verses about the state of happiness I was now in, after 
 my many sufferings. The sultan was astonished on reading 
 what I had written, and he said, " A person capable of compos- 
 ing such poetry should rank among the greatest of men. ' ' 
 
 The sultan then caused a chessboard to be brought to him, 
 and asked me by sign if I understood that game and would play 
 with him. I kissed the ground, and laying my hand upon my 
 head, signified that I was ready. He won the first game, but I 
 won the second and third, and seeing that he was somewhat dis- 
 pleased at being beaten, I made a verse to pacify him. In this 
 verse I told him that two great armies had been fighting furiously 
 
35 
 
 all day, but that they concluded a peace towards the evening, and 
 passed the night very agreeably together upon the field of bat- 
 tle. The sultan, surprised at seeing an ape do such things, re- 
 solved not to be himself the only witness of these wonders, and 
 having a daughter, called the Lady of Beauty, he sent for her that 
 she should share his pleasure. 
 
 When the princess came into the room she said to the sultan, 
 " Sir, that seeming ape is a young prince, son of a powerful 
 sultan. He has been changed into an ape by enchantment. 
 When I was just out of the nursery, an old lady who waited on 
 me was a great magician, and she taught me seventy rules of 
 magic. I know all enchanted persons at first sight. I know 
 who they are, and by whom they have been enchanted. I also 
 know how to restore enchanted persons, therefore do not be 
 surprised if I restore this prince to his own form." " Do so, 
 then," said the sultan, " for you cannot give me greater pleasure, 
 as I wish to have him for my grand vizier, and bestow you upon 
 him for a wife." " I am ready, sire," answered the princess, 
 " to obey you in all things you please to command." 
 
 The Lady of Beauty now went into her apartment, and brought 
 out a knife, which had some Hebrew words engraved on the 
 blade. Then she made the sultan, the little slave, and myself, 
 go down into a private court of the palace, and she left us under 
 a gallery that went round it. She next went into the middle of 
 the court, where she made a great circle, and within it she wrote 
 several words in ancient Arabian letters. 
 
 When she had finished and prepared the circle, she placed 
 herself in the center of it, where she repeated verses of the 
 Koran. Immediately the air grew dark, as if it were night. 
 We began to be much afraid, and our fear increased when we saw 
 the genie suddenly appear in the shape of a lion of a gigantic 
 size. 
 
 ' ' Thou shall pay dearly, ' ' said the lion, ' ' for the trouble 
 thou hast given me in coming here. ' ' Saying this, he opened 
 his horrible jaws, and advanced to devour the princess. But she, 
 
36 
 
 being on her guard, jumped back, and had just time to pluck a 
 hair from "her head. Uttering two or three words, she changed 
 the hair into a sharp sword, with which she immediately cut the 
 lion in two, through the middle. 
 
 The two parts of the lion directly disappeared, and the head 
 changed into a scorpion. Then the princess took the form of a 
 serpent, and fought the scorpion, which, being defeated, changed 
 itself into an eagle, and flew away. But the serpent changed 
 itself into a vulture and went in pursuit of the eagle. The eagle 
 then changed itself into a black cat, and the king's daughter be- 
 came a wolf, and they fought together long and fiercely, till the 
 cat, being nearly overcome, changed himself into a large pome- 
 granate, which fell into a pool. But the wolf pursuing it, the 
 pomegranate ascended into the air, and then fell upon the pave- 
 ment of the palace, breaking in pieces, and its grains scatter- 
 ing all over the court. The wolf, upon this, changed itself into 
 a cock, in order to pick up the grains, and not leave one of them, 
 but one grain remained hidden by the side of the pool of the 
 fountain. 
 
 The cock now began to cry, and flapped its wings, and made a 
 sign to us with its beak, but we understood not what it would say. 
 It then uttered at us such a cry that we thought the palace had 
 fallen down upon us, and it ran about the whole of the ground, 
 until it saw the grain that had lain hid by the side of the pool. 
 It pounced upon the grain to pick it up, but the grain fell into 
 the midst of the water, and became changed into a fish and sank 
 into the water, upon which the cock became a fish of a larger 
 size, and plunged in after the other. For awhile it was absent 
 from our sight, but at length we heard a loud cry, and trembled 
 at the sound, after which the genie rose as a flame, casting fire 
 from his mouth, and fire and smoke from his eyes and nostrils. 
 The king's daughter also became a vast body of fire, and we 
 would have plunged into the water from fear of our being burned 
 and destroyed, but suddenly the genie cried out from within the 
 fire, and came toward -us, blowing fire at our faces. The lady, 
 
37 
 
 however, overtook him, and blew fire in like manner in his face, 
 and some sparks struck us both from her and from him. Her 
 sparks did us no harm, but one from him struck me in my eye, 
 and destroyed it, I being still in the form of an ape. A spark 
 from .him reached the- face of the king, and burned the lower 
 half, with his beard and mouth, and struck out his lower teeth. 
 We expected destruction, and gave up all hope of preserving our 
 lives; but while we were in this state, a voice exclaimed, " God 
 is most great ! God is most great ! He hath conquered ! ' ' 
 The person from whom this voice came was the king's daughter. 
 She had burned the genie, and when we looked toward him, 
 we saw that he had become a heap of ashes. 
 
 The lady then came to us, and said, " Bring me a cup of 
 water, ' ' and when it was brought to her, she spoke over it some 
 words which we understood not, and, sprinkling me with it, said, 
 " Be restored, by the name of God, to thy original form." Im- 
 mediately I became a man as I was at first, except that my eye 
 was destroyed. After this, she cried out, " The fire! the fire! 
 
 my father, I shall no longer live, for I am to be killed. Every 
 time that he tried against me a new mode, I employed against 
 him one more powerful, until he tried against me the mode of 
 fire, and rarely does one escape against the mode of fire. Now 
 
 1 die, and may God supply my place to you." Then a spark 
 ascended to her breast and face, and when it reached her face 
 she wept, and cried, " There is no deity but God, and Moham- 
 med is God's apostle." We then looked toward her, and saw 
 that she was a heap of ashes by the side of the ashes of the 
 genie. 
 
 I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved. I had 
 rather have continued an ape all my life than to have seen the 
 princess thus perish. The sultan cried piteously, until, being 
 quite overcome by grief, he fainted away. In the mean time 
 the attendants and the officers came running in at the sultan's 
 lamentations, and with much difficulty brought him to himself. 
 
 When the knowledge of the death of the princess spread 
 
38 
 
 through the palace and the city, all the people greatly lamented. 
 Public mourning was observed for seven days, and many cere- 
 monies were performed. The ashes of the genie were thrown 
 into the air, but those of the princess were collected and put 
 into a precious urn, to be preserved, and the urn was placed 
 in a magnificent tomb built for that purpose on the spot where 
 the princess had died. 
 
 The grief of the sultan for the loss of his daughter confined 
 him to his chamber for a whole month. Before he had fully re- 
 covered his strength, he sent for me and said, " You are the 
 cause of all these misfortunes; depart, therefore, without delay 
 from my city and kingdom." 
 
 I was obliged to quit the palace, again an outcast from the 
 world. Before I left the city I caused my beard and eyebrows 
 to be shaved, and put on a calender's robe. I passed through 
 many countries without making myself known. At last I resolved 
 to visit Bagdad, in hopes of meeting with the Commander of the 
 Faithful, to move his pity for me by relating to him my unfor- 
 tunate adventures. I arrived this evening, and the first man I 
 met was this calender, who spoke before me. You know the 
 rest, madam, and the cause of my having come to this house. 
 
 When the second calender had concluded his story, Zobeide 
 said, " It is well; you are at liberty." But instead of departing 
 he also begged the lady to permit him to remain to hear the 
 stories of the others. Then the third calender addressed Zo- 
 beide, and told his story as follows: 
 
 STORY OF THE THIRD CALENDER. 
 
 I was a king, and the son of a king, and when my father died 
 I succeeded to his throne, and governed my people with justice. 
 I took pleasure in sea voyages, and my capital was on the shore 
 of a great sea in which were many islands. These I used to visit 
 for my own pleasure. Once I embarked with a fleet of ten ships, 
 
39 
 
 and took with me provisions enough for a whole month. Our 
 vessels sailed for twenty days, after which there arose against us 
 a contrary wind, but at daybreak it ceased, and the sea became 
 calm. Soon we arrived at an island, where we landed, and 
 cooked some provisions, and ate, after which we remained there 
 two days. We then continued our voyage, and when twenty 
 days more had passed, we found ourselves in strange waters, un- 
 known to the captain, and he ordered the watch to look out from 
 the masthead. So the watch went aloft, and when he came 
 down he said to the captain, " I saw, on my right hand, fish 
 floating on the surface of the water, and looking toward the 
 midst of the sea, I saw something looming in the distance, 
 sometimes black, and sometimes white." 
 
 When the captain heard this, he threw his turban on the deck 
 with one hand, and beat his breast with the other, and cried out, 
 "We are all lost ! not one of us will escape !" I asked him why he 
 thought we were lost, and he answered, " The storm has driven 
 us so far out of our course that to-morrow at noon we shall be 
 near a mountain of black stone called loadstone, which at this 
 very moment is drawing all our fleet towards it because of the 
 iron in our ships. When we approach within a certain distance 
 the attraction of the loadstone will have such force that all the 
 nails will be drawn out of the sides and bottoms of the ships, and 
 fasten to the mountain, so that the vessels will fall to pieces and 
 sink. Great numbers of ships have been destroyed by this 
 mountain. On the top of it there is a dome of brass, supported 
 by pillars of the same metal, and on the top of the dome there is 
 a horse of brass with a rider on its back. The rider has in his 
 hand a brazen spear and a tablet of lead fixed to his breast, upon 
 which are engraved mysterious names and talismans. As long, 
 O king, as this horseman remains upon the horse, so long will 
 every ship that approaches be destroyed, with every one on board. 
 No one will be safe until the horseman is thrown down from 
 the horse. ' ' 
 
 The captain then began to weep afresh, and all the rest of the 
 
40 
 
 ship's company did the same, and they took farewell of each 
 other. Next morning we saw the black mountain. About noon 
 we found that what the captain said was true, for all the nails 
 and iron in the ships flew toward the mountain with a horrible 
 noise. Then the ships split asunder, and their cargoes sank 
 into the sea. All my people were drowned, but God had mercy 
 on me, and permitted me to save myself by means of a plank, 
 which the wind drove ashore just at the foot of the mountain. 
 I did not receive the least hurt, and my good fortune brought 
 me to a landing place, where there were steps that led up the 
 mountain. I began to ascend, and at last reached the top. I 
 went into the dome, and, kneeling on the ground, gave God 
 thanks for my preservation. 
 
 I passed the night under the dome. In my sleep I heard a 
 voice saying to me, " O King Ajib, as soon as thou art awake 
 dig the ground under thy feet, and thou wilt find a bow of brass, 
 and three arrows of lead. Shoot the arrows at the horseman, 
 and he will fall into the sea. When this is done, the sea will 
 swell and rise to the foot of the dome. Then thou wilt see a 
 boat with one man holding an oar in each hand. This man is 
 also of metal. Step on board with him, but take care not to utter 
 the name of God. The man will in ten days bring thee into 
 another sea, where thou shalt find a way to return to thy country, 
 provided, as I have told thee, thou dost not mention the name 
 of God during the whole voyage." 
 
 When I awoke I felt much comforted, and did not fail to do 
 as the voice commanded me. I took the bow and arrows out of 
 the ground, shot at the horseman, and with the third arrow I 
 overthrew him and the horse. Then the sea swelled and rose up 
 by degrees. When it came as high as the foot of the dome upon 
 the top of the mountain, I saw, afar off, a boat rowing towards 
 me, and I returned thanks to God. When the boat came up to 
 me I stepped aboard, and found there the man of metal. I 
 sat down, and the man began to row off from the mountain. 
 He rowed without ceasing until the ninth day, when I saw some 
 
islands, which gave me hope that I should escape all the danger 
 that I feared. The excess of my joy made me forget for a mo- 
 ment the warning of the voice in my dream, and I cried out, 
 "God is great, God be praised !" As soon as I had uttered these 
 words the boat and man sank, and I was cast upon the sea. I 
 swam until night, when, as my strength began to fail, a wave vast 
 as a mountain threw me on the land. The first thing I did was to 
 spread my clothes on the ground to dry. Then I lay down to sleep. 
 
 Next morning, I went forward to discover what sort of country 
 I was in. I had not walked far before I found I was upon a very 
 pleasant island, having many trees and wild shrub's bearing fruit. 
 I prayed to God to protect me, and soon I saw a vessel coming 
 from the mainland directly towards the island. I got up into a very 
 thick tree, from which, without being seen, I might safely watch 
 the people in the ship. The vessel came into a little creek, and 
 ten slaves landed from it, carrying a spade and other instruments 
 for digging up the ground. They went towards the middle of the 
 island, and there they dug for some time, after which they lifted 
 up a trapdoor. They then returned to the vessel, and unloaded 
 several sorts of provisions and furniture, which they carried to 
 the place where they had been digging. Then they again went 
 to the ship, and returned soon afterwards with an old man, who 
 led by the hand a handsome lad of about fifteen years of age. 
 They all went down through the trapdoor, and' in a few minutes 
 came up again. Then they closed the door, covered it with 
 earth, and returned to the ship. But I did not see the boy re- 
 turning with them. I therefore believed that they had left him 
 behind in the underground cave. 
 
 The old man and his slaves went on board, and steered their 
 vessel towards the mainland. When they had gone such a dis- 
 tance that they could not see me, I came down from the tree, 
 and went to the place where they dug the ground. I removed 
 the earth by degrees, till I came to a stone two or three feet 
 square. I lifted the stone up, and found that it covered the 
 head of a flight of stairs. I descended the stairs, and at the bot- 
 
42 
 
 torn I found a large room, brilliantly lighted, and splendidly fur- 
 nished, and there on a beautiful couch was seated the young man 
 they took from the ship. When he saw me, he was a little 
 frightened, but I made a low bow, and said to him," Sir, do not 
 fear. I am a king, and I will do you no harm. On the contrary, 
 I may be able to deliver you out of this tomb, where it seems 
 you have been buried alive." 
 
 The young man, relieved at these words, invited me to sit 
 down on the couch beside him, and as soon as I was seated, he 
 said, " Prince, my story will surprise you. My father is a 
 jeweler. He has many slaves, and also agents at several courts 
 to which he sends precious stones. Before I was born he 
 dreamed that he should have a son, whose life would be short. 
 Some time after my birth he consulted magicians about me, and 
 they said to him, ' Your son will live to the age of fifteen years, 
 and then he will be killed. This will happen when the statue on 
 the top of the loadstone mountain is thrown into the sea. The 
 person who is to kill your son is he who will throw down the 
 statue, and his name is King A jib, son of King Cassib. ' My 
 father was greatly troubled on hearing this, and when he had 
 reared me until I was nearly fifteen years of age, the magicians 
 came again, and told him that the horseman had fallen into the 
 sea, and that it had been thrown down by King A jib, the son of 
 King Cassib. He then prepared for me this dwelling, and left 
 me here to remain until the end of the term of fifteen years, of 
 which there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest 
 King Ajib should kill me." When the young man had done 
 speaking, I said to him, with great joy, " Dear sir, trust in the 
 goodness of God, and fear nothing. I will not leave you till the 
 ten days have expired, of which the foolish magicians have made 
 you afraid. In the mean while I will do you all the service in my 
 power, after which, with the leave of your father and yourself, I 
 shall go to the mainland in your vessel. When I return to my 
 kingdom, I will remember your kindness and endeavor to show 
 my gratitude. " This encouraged the jeweler's son, and gave him 
 
43 
 
 much hope. I took care not to tell him I was the very Ajib 
 whom he dreaded, lest I should alarm him. I partook with him 
 of his provisions, of which he had^enough to last more than ten 
 days, even if he had more guests than myself, and we spent the 
 time in the pleasantest manner possible. 
 
 The tenth day came, and in the morning, when the young man 
 awoke, he said to me, with great joy, " Prince, this is the tenth 
 day, and I am not dead, thanks to God and your good company. 
 My father will soon be here, and in gratitude for your kindness will 
 furnish you with means to return to your kingdom. But while 
 we are waiting his arrival, dear prince, pray do me the favor to 
 fetch me a melon and some sugar, that I may eat to refresh my- 
 self. " Out of several melons that remained I took the best, and 
 laid it on a plate, and as I could not find a knife to cut it with, I 
 asked the young man if he knew where there was one. " There 
 is one," said he, " upon this shelf over my head." Looking up 
 I saw it there, and made so much haste to reach it that, while 
 I had it in my hand, my foot slipped. I fell upon the young 
 man and the knife pierced his body, killing him instantly. 
 
 At this spectacle I cried out with agony. I beat my head, 
 my face, and my breast; I tore my clothes; I threw myself on 
 the ground with sorrow and grief. But as all my tears could not 
 restore the young man to life, and the ten days being expired, 
 I left the underground dwelling, laid down the great stone upon 
 the entrance, and covered it with earth. Then I again ascended 
 into the tree and very soon I saw the expected vessel approach- 
 ing the shore. 
 
 The old man, the father of the youth, landed immediately with 
 his slaves and advanced towards the cave, but when they saw that 
 the earth had been newly removed, they were much surprised. 
 They lifted up the stone and descended the stairs, calling the 
 young man by his name. When they found him stretched on 
 his couch lifeless, they uttered such lamentable cries that my 
 tears flowed afresh. The father fell down in a swoon, and the 
 slaves thought he was dead, but at last he came to himself. 
 
44 
 
 Then they brought up the son's body, and taking all that was 
 in the cave to the ship, they departed. 
 
 After the old man and the slaves were gone, I was left alone. 
 I lay that night in the underground dwelling, and when the day 
 came, I walked round the island. I led this life for two months, 
 at the end of which time I noticed that the sea had sunk so 
 low that there remained between me and the mainland but a 
 small stream. This I was able to cross, the water not reaching 
 above the middle of my leg. When I got upon firm ground, 
 and had gone some distance from the sea, I saw a good way be- 
 fore me something that resembled a great fire. As I drew 
 nearer, however, I found that what I had taken for a fire was a 
 castle of red copper, which the beams of the sun made to appear 
 at a distance like flames. While I was admiring this magnificent 
 building, there approached me an old man of venerable appear- 
 ance, accompanied by ten handsome young men who were all 
 blind of the right eye, at which I was much surprised. 
 
 As soon as they saw me they saluted me and inquired what had 
 brought me there. I told them my story from first to last and 
 it filled them with great astonishment. Then they invited me to 
 accompany them to the palace, and they brought me into a 
 spacious hall, where there were ten small blue sofas set round, 
 separate from one another. In the middle of this circle stood 
 an eleventh sofa, not so high as the rest, but of the same color, 
 upon which the old man sat down, the young men occupying the 
 other ten. But as each sofa could contain only one man, one of 
 them said to me, " Sit down, friend, upon that carpet in the 
 middle of the room, and do not inquire about anything that con- 
 cerns us, nor the reason why we are all blind of the right eye. ' ' 
 
 The old man having sat a short time, arose and went out, but 
 he returned in a minute or two, bringing in supper. He gave 
 each his share separately, and also gave me a share, which I ate 
 apart, as the rest did. After supper one of the young men said 
 to the old man, " Bring us that with which we may perform our 
 duty." At these words the old man arose, went into a closet, 
 
45 
 
 and brought out upon his head ten covered trays, one of which 
 he placed before each young man, together with a light. Hav- 
 ing done this he took off the covers, and there appeared on the 
 trays ashes mixed with pounded charcoal. The young men then 
 tucked up their sleeves above their elbows, and rubbed and daubed 
 their faces with the mixture. Having thus blackened them- 
 selves, they wept and lamented, beating their heads and breasts, 
 and crying continually, " This is the result of our idleness and 
 curiosity. ' ' 
 
 They continued to do so nearly the whole night. The next 
 day, soon after we had risen, we went out to walk, and I said to 
 them, " I cannot help asking why you daubed your faces with 
 black, and how it has happened that each of you has but one 
 eye. I beg you to tell me. ' ' One of the young men answered 
 for the rest, saying, " Once more we advise you not to ask 
 about what does not concern you, lest the same evil happen to 
 you as has happened to us, and if you lose your eye, you cannot 
 remain with us because our number is completed, and no ad- 
 dition can be made to it. " " No matter," I replied, " if such 
 a misfortune happen to me, I will not blame you, but myself. ' ' 
 
 The young men, seeing that I was so fixed in my purpose, then 
 took a sheep and killed and skinned it, after which they gave me 
 a knife and said, " We must sew you in this skin, and leave you. 
 In a little while a bird gf monstrous size, called a roc, will ap- 
 pear in the air, and, taking you for a sheep, will pounce upon 
 you, and soar with you to the sky. But let not that alarm you; 
 he will descend with you again, and lay you on the top of a 
 mountain. When you find yourself on the ground, cut the skin 
 with your knife, and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees you, 
 he will fly away for fear, and leave you at liberty. Do not stay, 
 but walk on till you come to a great palace covered with plates 
 of gold, large emeralds, and other precious stones. Go up to the 
 gate, which always stands open, and walk in. We have each of 
 us been in that castle, but we can tell you nothing of what we 
 saw, or what happened to us there; you will learn that for your- 
 
4 6 
 
 self. All we can tell you is that it has cost each of us his right 
 eye, and what you have seen us do is what we are obliged to do 
 on account of having been there. ' ' 
 
 When the young man had thus spoken, I wrapped myself in the 
 sheep's skin, holding fast the knife which was given me. Then 
 they sewed the skin about me, retired into the hall, and left me 
 alone. The roc soon arrived; he pounced upon me, took me in 
 his talons like a sheep, and carried me up to the top of the 
 mountain. When I found myself on the ground, I cut the skin 
 with the knife, and threw it off, and the roc at the sight of me 
 flew away. The roc is a white bird, of vast size, and so strong 
 that he can lift up elephants from the plains, and carry them to 
 the tops of mountains, where he feeds upon them. Eager to 
 reach the palace, I made so much haste that I got there in half 
 a day's journey, and I found that it was even grander than the 
 young men had said. I entered at a door which I saw standing 
 open before me, and passed into a large and splendidly furnished 
 room. Here I found forty beautiful young women, all magnifi- 
 cently dressed. As soon as they saw me they arose, and said- to 
 me, in tones of joy, " Welcome! welcome! We have long ex- 
 pected you. You are at present our lord and master, and we are 
 your slaves, ready to obey your commands." After these words 
 were spoken they served me with refreshments, and when I had 
 eaten and drunk, they sat and talked with me, full of joy and 
 happiness. Some brought in musical instruments, and sang de- 
 lightful songs; others danced with admirable grace. 
 
 In this way I passed a whole year with these ladies in the 
 greatest happiness. At the end of that time, on the first day of 
 the new year, I was much surprised to see the ladies gather 
 round me, and to hear them say, ' ' Adieu, dear prince, adieu ! for 
 we must leave you. ' ' They then began to weep bitterly. ' ' My 
 dear ladies," said I, " have the kindness to tell me the cause of 
 your sorrow." " Well," said one of them, " we must tell you 
 that we are all princesses, daughters of kings. We live here 
 together in the manner you have seen, but at the end of every 
 
47 
 
 year we are obliged to oe absent forty days, for reasons we are 
 not allowed to tell, and then we return. Before we depart we 
 will give you the keys of the palace, which are a hundred in 
 number, and belong to a hundred doors. You may open all the 
 doors except one, and you will find plenty to amuse and entertain 
 you. But we beg you not to open the golden door, for if you 
 do, we shall never see you again, and the fear of this is the 
 cause of our grief. ' ' Then they departed, and I remained alone 
 in the castle. 
 
 I resolved to keep in mind the advice they had given me, not 
 to open the golden door, but as I was permitted to open all the 
 others, Itook the first of the keys, which were hung in regular 
 order. I opened the first door and entered an orchard, which 
 I believe the world could not equal. I could not think of any- 
 thing so lovely. The neatness, the admirable order of the trees, 
 the plenty and variety of the fruits, and their freshness and 
 beauty, delighted me. This garden was watered in a most 
 singular manner. Small channels, cut out with great art and 
 regularity, and of different lengths, carried water in large quanti- 
 ties to the roots of such trees as required it. Others conveyed 
 it in smaller quantities to those whose fruits were already formed. 
 Some carried still less to those whose fruits were swelling, and 
 others, only so much as was necessary to water those having 
 their fruits come to perfection, and wanting only to be ripened. 
 The fruits far exceeded in size the ordinary fruits of our gardens. 
 
 I now shut the door of the orchard and opened the next door. 
 Instead of an orchard, I found here a flower garden, which was 
 also most beautiful. Roses, jessamines, violets, daffodils, hya- 
 cinths, anemones, tulips, pinks, lilies, and a great number of 
 flowers which do not grow in other places but at certain times, 
 were there flourishing all at once. Nothing could be more deli- 
 cious than the fragrant smell of these flowers. I opened the 
 third door, and found a large aviary, paved with marble of 
 several beautiful colors. The trellis-work was made of sandal- 
 wood and wood of aloes. It contained a vast number of night- 
 
4 8 
 
 ingales, goldfinches, canary birds, larks, and other rare singing 
 birds, and the vessels that held their seed were of sparkling jas- 
 per or agate. It was now evening, and I ' retired, charmed with 
 the notes of the multitude of birds, which then began to perch 
 upon such places as suited them for rest during the night. I 
 went to my chamber resolved to open all the rest of the doors 
 on the following days, except that of gold. 
 
 The next day I opened the fourth door. I entered, and saw 
 a large building with forty gates, all open, each of which led into 
 a treasury. The first was stored with heaps of pearls, as large as 
 pigeons' eggs. In the second treasury there were diamonds and 
 rubies; in the third, emeralds; in the fourth, bars of gold; in 
 the fifth, money; in the sixth, bars of silver; and in the two fol- 
 lowing, money. The rest contained vast quantities of precious, 
 stones of all kinds. Thus I went, day by day, through these 
 various wonders. Thirty-nine days gave me but just as much 
 time as was necessary to open ninety-nine doors, and to admire 
 all that I saw, so that there was only the hundredth door left, 
 which I was forbidden to open. 
 
 The fortieth day after the departure of the princesses now ar- 
 rived, and if I had been wise as I ought to have been I should 
 this day be the happiest of mankind, whereas now I am the 
 most unhappy. But through my weakness, which I shall ever 
 repent, and through the temptations of an evil spirit, I opened 
 that fatal door. Before I moved my foot to enter, a smell, 
 pleasant enough, but too powerful for my senses, made me faint 
 away. I soon recovered and entering, I found myself in a great 
 room, which was lighted by several large tapers placed in candle- 
 sticks of solid gold. My attention was attracted by a black 
 horse, of the most perfecUshape and beauty. Going near him 
 in order the better to observe him, I found he had on a saddle 
 and bridle of massive gold, curiously made. One part of his 
 manger was filled with clean barley, and the other with rose 
 water. I laid hold of his bridle, and, led him out of his stable. 
 Then I mounted his back and endeavored to make him move, 
 
49 
 
 but as he did not stir, I struck him with a switch I had found 
 in the stable. The moment he felt the blow, he began to neigh 
 in a most horrible manner, and spreading out his wings, which I 
 had not before noticed, he flew up with me into the air. 
 
 In a little while he descended to the earth, and, lighting upon 
 the terrace of a palace, shook me out of the saddle with such 
 force as to throw me behind him, and with the end of his tail 
 he struck out my eye. He then flew away, and I got up, much 
 vexed at the misfortune I had brought upon myself. I walked 
 upon the terrace, covering my eye with one of my hands, for it 
 pained me greatly, and I then descended, and entered into a 
 hall. Here I saw ten sofas in a circle and an eleventh in the 
 middle, lower than the rest, and so I found that I was in the 
 castle from which I had been carried away by the roc. 
 
 The ten young men were not surprised to see me, or to find 
 that I had lost my eye. One of them said, " We are sorry that 
 we cannot welcome you as we could wish, but we are not the 
 cause of your misfortune. All that has happened to you we also 
 have suffered. Each of us had the same pleasures during a 
 year, and we would be still enjoying them if we had not opened 
 the golden door when the princesses were absent. You have 
 been no wiser than we, and have got the same punishment. We 
 would gladly receive you into our company, but we have already 
 stated to you the reasons why we cannot do so. Depart, there- 
 fore, and go to Bagdad, where you will meet with a person who 
 may help you." They then showed me the road by which I was 
 to go, and I immediately set off. On the way I caused my face 
 and eyebrows to be shaved, and I put on a calender's dress. 
 I had a long journey, but at last I arrived, and this evening met 
 these calenders at the gate. We were surprised at one another, 
 seeing that we were all blind of the same eye, but we had not 
 leisure to talk long about our misfortunes. We have only had 
 time to bring us here to beg the kindness which you have gen- 
 erously granted us. 
 
 The third calender having thus finished his story, Zobeide said 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 4 
 
50 
 
 to him and his fellow-calenders, " Go wherever you think proper; 
 you are at liberty." .But one of them answered, " Madam, \ve 
 beg you to permit us to wait until we hear the stories of your 
 other guests who have not yet spoken. ' ' Then the lady turned 
 to the caliph, the vizier Giafar, and Mesrour, and said to them, 
 " It is now your turn to tell your adventures; therefore speak." 
 
 The grand vizier, who had all along been the spokesman, 
 answered Zobeide, telling her what he had told Safie before she 
 admitted them to the house. Zobeide then said, " Well, I par- 
 don you all, provided you immediately depart." Then the ca- 
 liph, the vizier, Mesrour, the three calenders, and the porter, 
 departed. As soon as they had left the house, and the gate was 
 closed after them, the caliph said to the calenders, without 
 making himself known, " Gentlemen, which way do you intend 
 to go ? " They replied that they did not know where to go. 
 " Follow us," said the caliph, " and we will convey you out of 
 danger." He then whispered to the vizier, " Take them along 
 with you, and to-morrow morning bring them to me." The 
 vizier Giafar, therefore, took the three calenders with him, the 
 porter went to his own home, and the caliph and Mesrour 
 returned to the palace. 
 
 On the following morning the sultan Haroun Alraschid arose, 
 and, going to his council chamber, sat upon his throne. The 
 grand vizier entered soon afterwards, and paid his respects. Then 
 the caliph said, "Vizier, go bring those ladies here, and the 
 calenders; make haste and I shall wait your return." The vizier 
 hastened to obey, and soon he conducted them to the palace. 
 
 When the ladies arrived, the caliph turned towards them and 
 said, " I was last night in your house, dressed in a merchant's 
 garb, but I am now Haroun Alraschid, and hold the place of our 
 great prophet. I have sent for you to know who you are, and 
 to ask you for what reason one of you, after severely whipping 
 the two black dogs, wept with them. I wish also to know why 
 another of you is so full of scars. ' ' Upon hearing these words, 
 Zobeide thus told her story: 
 
STORY OF ZOBEIDE. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, my story is truly wonderful. The 
 two black dogs and myself are sisters by the same father and 
 mother. The two ladies who are now here, Amina and Sane, are 
 also my sisters, but by another mother. After our father's death 
 the property that he left was divided, equally among us. My 
 two half-sisters left me, that they might live with their mother. 
 My two sisters and myself resided with our own mother. At her 
 death she left us three thousand pieces of gold each. Shortly 
 after my sisters received their shares they married, but their 
 husbands spent all the money and then put them away. I re- 
 ceived them into my house, and gave them a share of all my 
 goods. At the end of a twelvemonth, they resolved to marry 
 again, and did so. After some months .they returned in the same 
 poor condition as before, and I again admitted them to live with 
 me, and we dwelt together for the space of a year. I now re- 
 solved to go into business. For this purpose I went with my 
 two sisters to Bussorah, where I bought a ship ready fitted for 
 sea, and loaded her with goods I had taken with me from Bag- 
 dad. We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian 
 Gulf. When we reached the open sea, we steered our course to 
 India, and, on the twentieth day, saw land. It was a very high 
 mountain, at the foot of which there was a great town. We 
 soon reached the harbor, and cast anchor. 
 
 I had not patience to wait till my sisters were dressed to go 
 along with me, but went ashore alone in a boat. Going directly 
 to the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men upon 
 guard, some sitting, and others standing with weapons in their 
 hands. They had such dreadful countenances that I was greatly 
 alarmed, but seeing that they remained perfectly still and did 
 not so much as move their eyes, I took courage, and went nearer, 
 when I found they all appeared to be made of stone. I entered 
 the town and passed through several streets, where at different 
 places men stood in various positions, but all motionless, for they 
 
52 
 
 also had been converted into black stone. In the same way I 
 found the merchants in the shops. They were all men of stone. 
 
 Coming to a vast square, in the heart of the city, I saw a 
 large folding gate, covered with plates of gold, which stood open. 
 A curtain of silk was drawn before it, and a lamp hung over the 
 entrance. After I had examined the building, I felt sure that it was 
 the palace of the prince who reigned over that country, and being 
 much astonished that I had not met with one living creature, I 
 approached in hopes to find some. I lifted up the curtain, but 
 saw no one except the guards in the porch, all apparently stone. 
 
 I then went into a room richly furnished. There I saw a lady 
 in the form of a statue of stone. The crown of gold on her 
 head, and a necklace of pearls about her neck, each as large as a 
 nut, showed her to have been a queen. I left the chamber where 
 the stone queen was, and passed through several other chambers 
 richly furnished, and at last came into a large room, where there 
 was a throne of gold, enriched with emeralds, and upon the 
 throne was a bed of rich stuff embroidered with pearls. What 
 surprised me most was a sparkling light above the bed. Wishing 
 to know where it came from, I ascended the steps, and lifting up 
 my head I saw a diamond as large as the egg of an ostrich, lying 
 upon a low stool. It was so pure that I could not find the least 
 flaw in it, and it sparkled so much that it almost dazzled my eyes. 
 At the head of the bed there stood on each side a lighted torch, 
 for what use I could not understand; but it made me think that 
 there must be some one living in the place, for I could not believe 
 that the torches continued burning of themselves. 
 
 The doors being all open, I examined some other rooms that 
 were as beautiful as those I had already seen. The wonders 
 that everywhere appeared engaged my attention so much that I 
 forgot my ship and my sisters. In the mean time night came 
 on, and I tried to return by the way I had entered, but I could 
 not find it. I lost myself among the apartments, and seeing 
 that I had come back to the large room, where the throne, the 
 couch, the large diamond, and the torches were, I resolved to 
 
53 
 
 take my night's lodging there, and to go the next morning early 
 to my ship. I laid myself down upon a costly couch, not with- 
 out some dread to be alone in such a place, and this fear kept 
 me from sleeping. 
 
 About midnight I heard a man reading the Koran, in a chant- 
 ing tone, as it is read in our mosques. I immediately arose, 
 and, taking a torch in my hand, passed from one chamber to 
 another, in the direction from which the voice came; until, 
 looking through a window, I found it to be an oratory. It had, 
 as we have in our mosques, a niche, to show us where we are to 
 turn to say our prayers. There were also lamps hung up, and 
 two candlesticks with large tapers of white wax burning. I saw 
 a little carpet laid down like those we have to kneel upon when 
 we say our prayers, and a handsome young man sat on this carpet 
 reading the Koran, which lay before him on a desk. At this 
 sight I was much surprised. I wondered how it was that he 
 should be the only living person in the town, and I felt sure that 
 there was something extraordinary in it. 
 
 The door being only half shut I opened it, went in, and stand- 
 ing upright before the niche, I exclaimed, " Praise be to God." 
 The young man turned towards me, and after saluting me, asked 
 what had brought me to this desolate city. I told him in a few 
 words my history, and I prayed him to tell me why he alone was 
 left alive in the midst of such desolation. At these words he 
 shut the Koran, put it into a rich case, laid it in the niche, and 
 then gave me the following account of himself : 
 
 " This city was the capital of a mighty kingdom, over which 
 the sultan, who was my father, reigned. He, his w r hole court, 
 the inhabitants of the city, and all his other subjects, \vere \vor- 
 shipers of fire instead of God. But I had the good fortune 
 in my youth to have a nurse who was a good Mussulman, believing 
 in God, and in His prophet. ' Dear prince, ' she would often 
 say, ' there is but one true God; take heed that you do not 
 adore any other.' She taught me to read Arabic, and the book 
 she gave me to study was the Koran. As soon as I was able to 
 
54 : 
 
 understand it, she explained to me all the parts of this excellent 
 book, unknown to my father or any other person. She died, 
 but not before she had perfectly taught me the Mussulman 
 religion. About three years ago, a thundering voice suddenly 
 sounded through the whole city, and it was so loud that nobody 
 could miss hearing it. The words it uttered were these : ' Inhab- 
 itants, give up the worship of fire, and worship the only God who 
 shows mercy.' This voice was heard three years one after 
 another, yet no one was converted. But on the last day of the last 
 year, at the dawn of morning, all the inhabitants were changed 
 in an instant into stone, every one in the condition they hap- 
 pened to be in at the moment. The sultan, my father, and the 
 queen, my mother, shared the same fate. I am the only 
 person who did not suffer that heavy punishment, and ever since 
 I have continued to serve God with more zeal than before. 
 I am quite sure, dear lady, that He has sent you here for my 
 comfort, and I give Him thanks, for I have become weary of 
 this lonely life. ' ' 
 
 On hearing these words, I said, " Prince, who can doubt that 
 God has brought me into your city to help you to get away 
 from this place ? I am a lady of Bagdad, where I have property, 
 and I promise you a home there, until the mighty Commander 
 of the Faithful shows you the honor that you deserve. This 
 great prince lives at Bagdad, and as soon as he hears of your ar- 
 rival in his capital, he will quickly assist you. Stay no longer in 
 a city where you can have no happiness. My vessel is at your 
 service. ' ' He accepted the offer, and as soon as it was day we 
 left the palace, and went aboard my ship, where we found my 
 sisters, the captain, and the slaves, all much troubled at my 
 absence. After I had introduced my sisters to the prince, I 
 told them his story, and the cause of the desolation of the city. 
 
 The seamen were employed several days in unloading the ves- 
 sel of the merchandise I had brought with me, and putting in 
 its stead many of the precious things in the palace, especially 
 jewels, gold, and money. After we had loaded the vessel we 
 
55 
 
 took provisions and water aboard for our voyage, and at last we 
 set sail with a favorable wind. 
 
 The young prince, my sisters, and myself passed our time very 
 agreeably for a little while. But soon my sisters grew jealous of 
 the friendship between the prince and me, and spitefully asked 
 me one day what we should do with him when we came to 
 Bagdad. Meaning to put this question off with a joke, I 
 answered, ' ' I will take him for my husband. ' ' The prince, hear- 
 ing my answer, then said, " I know not, madam, whether you 
 are in jest or not, but for my part, I declare before these ladies, 
 your sisters, that I heartily accept your offer to be my wife." 
 At these words my sisters changed color, and I could see after- 
 wards that they did not love me as before. 
 
 We entered the Persian Gulf, and had come within a short dis- 
 tance of Bussorah, where I hoped we might arrive the day follow- 
 ing, when, in the night, while I was asleep, my sisters watched 
 their opportunity and threw me overboard. They did the same 
 to the prince, who was drowned. I floated some minutes on the 
 water, and by good fortune I felt ground. I went towards a 
 dark spot that seemed to be land, and when day appeared, I 
 found that it was a desert island, lying about twenty miles from 
 Bussorah. I soon dried my clothes in the sun, and as I walked 
 along I found several kinds of fruit, and also fresh water, which 
 gave me some hope of preserving my life. 
 
 I had just laid myself down to rest in a shade, when I saw a 
 very large winged serpent coming towards me, with waving move- 
 ment, and hanging out its tongue, which made me believe it had 
 received some injury. I instantly arose, and saw that it was pur- 
 sued by a larger serpent which had hold of its tail, and was trying 
 to devour it. The perilous situation of the first serpent moved 
 my pity, and instead of running away I took up a stone that lay 
 near me, and, throwing it with all my strength at its pursuer, hit it 
 upon the head and killed it. The other, finding itself at liberty, 
 flew away. I looked after it for some time till it disappeared. 
 I then found another shady spot and lay down and fell asleep. 
 
56 
 
 When I awoke I was surprised to see standing by me a black 
 woman of agreeable features, who held with her hand two dogs of 
 the same color, fastened together. I sat up, and asked her who 
 she was. " I am, ' ' said she, " the serpent you lately saved, and I 
 wish to reward you for the service you have done me. These 
 two black dogs are your sisters. I have changed them into this 
 shape. But such punishment is not enough, and my will is that 
 you treat them hereafter in the way I shall direct." 
 
 As soon as she had thus spoken she took me under one of her 
 arms, and the two black dogs under the other, and carried us to 
 my house in Bagdad. I found in my storehouses all the riches 
 with which my vessel had been loaded. Before she left me, she 
 gave me the two dogs and said, " If you do not want to be 
 changed into the same form yourself, you must give each of your 
 sisters every night one hundred lashes with a rod, as punish- 
 ment for the crime they have committed against yourself and the 
 young prince whom they have drowned. ' ' I was forced to 
 promise obedience. Since that time I have whipped them every 
 night, though with regret, as your Majesty has seen. My tears 
 show with how much sorrow I perform this painful duty. If 
 there be anything else about me that you wish to know, my 
 sister Safie will tell you in her story. 
 
 The caliph heard Zobeide with much astonishment, and then 
 he ordered his grand vizfer to request Safie to tell him why she 
 was disfigured with so many scars. 
 
 STORY OF SAFIE. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, after my father's death, my 
 mother, having taken a house to pass her widowhood in private, 
 gave me in marriage to the heir of one of the richest men in 
 this city. I had not been married a year when my husband 
 died. I thus became a widow, and was in possession of all his 
 property, which amounted to above ninety thousand pieces of 
 
57 
 
 gold. When the first six months of my mourning were over, I got 
 ten dresses made for myself, and they were so magnificent that 
 each cost a thousand pieces of gold. At the end of the year I 
 began to wear them. 
 
 One day, while I was alone, a lady called at my house saying 
 that she wished to speak to me. I gave orders that she should 
 be admitted. She was a rery old woman. She saluted me by 
 kissing the ground, and said to me, kneeling, " Dear lady, I have 
 an orphan daughter, whose wedding is to-night. She and I are 
 strangers, and have no friends in this town. Therefore, if you 
 will honor the wedding with your presence, we shall be greatly 
 obliged, because the family into which my daughter is to be 
 married will then think that we are respected here. But if you 
 refuse this request, we will be greatly disappointed, since we 
 know not where else to apply. ' ' 
 
 This poor woman's words, which she spoke with tears in her 
 eyes, moved my pity. " Good woman," said I, " I will grant 
 you the favor you desire. Tell me where I must go, and I will 
 meet you as soon as I am dressed. ' ' The old woman was so re- 
 joiced at my answer that she kissed my feet before I had time 
 to prevent her. " Good lady," said she, rising, " God will 
 reward your kindness and make your heart as joyful as you have 
 made mine. I will call for you in the evening. ' ' As soon as 
 she was gone, I took the dress I liked best, with a necklace of 
 large pearls, bracelets, pendants for my ears, and rings set with 
 the finest diamonds, and prepared to attend the wedding. 
 
 When the night closed in, the old woman called upon me, 
 with a face full of joy, and said, " Dear lady, the relations of 
 my son-in-law, who are the first ladies of the city, are now met 
 together. You may come when you please; I am ready to con- 
 duct you. ' ' We immediately set out. She walked before me, and 
 I was followed by a number of my women and slaves, richly dressed 
 for the occasion. We stopped in a wide street, newly swept and 
 watered, at a large gate with a lamp, by the light of which I read 
 these words in golden letters over the entrance: " This is the 
 
58 
 
 continual abode of pleasure and joy." The old woman knocked, 
 and the gate was opened immediately. 
 
 I was led towards the lower end of the court, into a large hall, 
 where I was received by a young lady of great beauty. She 
 made me sit down by her upon a sofa, on which was a throne of 
 precious wood set with diamonds. " Madam," said she, " you 
 are brought here to assist at a wedding, but I hope it will be a 
 different wedding from what you expected. I have a brother, 
 one of the handsomest men in the world, and he will be the 
 unhappiest of men if you do not consent to be his wife." 
 
 Now after the death of my husband I had not thought of 
 marrying again, but I could not refuse the request of so charm- 
 ing a lady. As soon as I had given consent by my silence, the 
 young lady clapped her hands and immediately a curtain was 
 withdrawn, and out came a young man of so beautiful a counte- 
 nance that I felt happy at the thought of having such a husband. 
 He sat down by me, and I found from his conversation that he 
 was better even than he had been described by his sister. When 
 she saw that we were satisfied with one another, she clapped her 
 hands a second time, and a magistrate with four witnesses 
 entered, who wrote and signed our contract of marriage. There 
 was only one condition that my husband asked me to agree to, 
 and that was that I should not speak to any other man but him- 
 self; and he declared that if I would observe this' I should have 
 no reason to complain of him. 
 
 About a month after our marriage, I had occasion to go out to 
 buy some dress stuffs, and I took with me two of my own female 
 slaves and the old woman of whom I spoke before, she being one 
 of the family. When we came to the street where the merchants 
 reside, the old v/oman said, " Dear mistress, since you want silk 
 stuffs, I must take you to a young merchant of my acquaintance, 
 who has a great variety, and I can assure you that you will find 
 in his store what no other can furnish." I agreed, and we 
 entered the shop of the young merchant. I sat down, and bade 
 the old woman desire him to show me the finest silk stuffs he 
 
59 
 
 had. The woman told me to speak myself, but I said that ac- 
 cording to my promise at marriage I must not speak to any man 
 but my husband. 
 
 The merchant showed me several stuffs, one of which pleased 
 me better than the rest, and I bade her ask the price. He 
 answered the old woman, saying, " 1 will not sell it for gold or 
 money, but I will make her a present of it if she will give me 
 leave to kiss her cheek. ' ' I ordered the old woman to tell him 
 that he was very rude to ask such a thing. But instead of obey- 
 ing me she said, " What the merchant asks is no such great mat- 
 ter; you need not speak, but only present him your cheek." 
 The stuff pleased me so much that I was foolish enough to take 
 her advice. The old woman and my slaves stood up, that no- 
 body might see, and I put up my veil, but instead of kissing my 
 cheek, the merchant bit me so violently as to draw blood. I fell 
 down in a swoon, and remained in that state so long that the 
 merchant had time to escape. When I came to myself, I found 
 my cheek covered with blood. The old woman and my slaves 
 took care to cover it with my veil, so that the people who came 
 about us could not see it, but thought I had a fainting fit. 
 
 Then the old woman tried to comfort me. " My dear mis- 
 tress, "said she, " I beg your pardon, for I am the cause of this 
 misfortune, having brought you to this merchant, but I never 
 thought he would be guilty of such an action. However, do not 
 grieve; let us hasten home; I have a remedy that shall in three 
 days so perfectly cure you that not the least mark shall be seen." 
 The fit made me so weak that I was scarcely able to walk. 
 But at last I got home, where I again fainted, as I went into my 
 chamber. Meanwhile, the old woman made use of her remedy. 
 I came to myself, and went to bed. 
 
 My husband came to me at night, and, seeing my head bound 
 up, asked me the reason. I told him I had the headache, which 
 I hoped would satisfy him, but he took a candle, and saw my 
 cheek was hurt. " How comes this wound ? " he said. Though 
 I did not think myself guilty of any great offense, yet I did not 
 
6o 
 
 like to tell him what had happened. I therefore said that as I 
 was going to purchase silk, a camel, carrying a load of wood, 
 came so near to me in a narrow street that one of the sticks giazed 
 my cheek, but had not done me much hurt. " If that is the 
 case," said my husband, " to-morrow morning the grand vizier, 
 Giafar, shall be told of this, and he will cause all the camel drivers 
 to be put to death." " Pray, sir," said I, " let me beg of you 
 to pardon them, for they are not guilty." " How, madam," 
 he replied, " what, then, am I to believe? Speak; for I am 
 resolved to know the truth from your own mouth." " Sir," I 
 answered, "I was taken with a giddiness and fell down, and that 
 is the whole matter. ' ' At these words my husband lost all 
 patience. ' ' I have, ' ' said he, ' ' too long listened to your tales. ' ' 
 As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and in came three slaves. 
 " Strike," said he, " kill her and then throw her into the Tigris. 
 This is how I punish those to whom I give my heart, when they 
 break their promises." 
 
 I begged for mercy and pardon, but it was of no use. Then 
 the old woman, who had been his nurse, coming in just at that 
 moment, fell down upon her knees, and cried out, " My son, 
 since I have been your nurse, and brought you up, let me beg 
 you to remember that ' he who kills shall be killed, ' and that if 
 you do this, you will lose the respect of mankind. ' ' She spoke 
 these words in such an earnest manner, accompanied with tears, 
 that she caused him to give up his purpose. " Well then," said 
 he to his nurse, " for your sake I will spare her life, but she 
 shall bear upon her person some marks to make her remember 
 her offense. ' ' When he had thus spoken, one of the slaves, by 
 his order, gave me so many blows with a cane that he threw me 
 into a swoon. In this state he caused the same slave to carry 
 me into the house, where the old woman took care of me. I 
 kept my bed for four months. At last I recovered; but the 
 scars, as you saw yesterday, have remained ever since. 
 
 As soon as I was able to walk, I resolved to go back to the 
 house which was left me by my first husband, but I could not 
 
6i 
 
 find even the place where it had stood, as my second husband 
 caused it to be leveled to the ground. Being thus left helpless, 
 I went to my dear sister Zobeide. She received me with kind- 
 ness and advised me to bear my trouble with patience. She gave 
 me an account of the loss of the young prince, her husband, 
 caused by the jealousy of her two sisters. She told me also why 
 they were changed into dogs. My youngest sister afterwards 
 came to live with her. We have continued to live together in 
 the same house ever since. 
 
 CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGDAD. 
 
 The caliph was astonished at this story, and he ordered that it 
 be written in a book to be preserved in his library. Then he said 
 to Zobeide, ' ' Madam, did not this fairy woman whom you saved 
 from the serpent tell you where her place of abode was, or that 
 she would restore your sisters to their natural shape ? ' ' 
 
 " Commander of the Faithful," answered Zobeide, " the fairy 
 left with me a bundle of hair, saying that her presence would one 
 day be of use to me, and then if I only burned two tufts of this 
 hair, she would be with me in a moment." " Madam," asked 
 the caliph, " where is the bundle of hair? " She answered, 
 " Ever since that time I have been so careful of it that I always 
 carry it about me. ' ' So she took it out of the case in which she 
 kept it and showed it to him. ' ' Well then, ' ' said the caliph, 
 " let us bring the fairy here, for I long to see her." 
 
 Zobeide having consented, fire was brought in, and she threw 
 the whole bundle of hair into it. The palace immediately began 
 to shake, and the fairy appeared before the caliph in the form of 
 a lady very richly dressed. " Commander of the Faithful," said 
 she to the prince, " I am ready to receive your commands. At 
 your wish I will restore these two sisters to their former shape, 
 and I will also cure this lady of her scars, and tell you who it was 
 that illtreated her." 
 
62 
 
 The caliph sent to Zobeide's house for the two dogs, and when 
 they came a glass of water was brought to the fairy at her re- 
 quest. She pronounced over it some words, which nobody un- 
 derstood. Then she threw part of it upon Sane, and the rest 
 upon the dogs. Instantly the dogs became two ladies of great 
 beauty, and the scars that were upon Safie disappeared. After 
 this the fairy said to the caliph, " Commander of the Faithful, 
 I must now tell you the name of Safie's unknown husband. 
 He is Prince Amin, your eldest son, who had this lady brought 
 to his house, where he married her. As to the blows he caused 
 to be given her, he is in some measure to be excused, for his 
 wife, by the tales she told, led him to believe she was more faulty 
 than she really was." Having thus spoken the fairy disappeared. 
 
 The caliph was much pleased with the changes that happened 
 through his means. He then sent for his son Amin, and told him 
 that he now knew of his secret marriage, and how he had ill- 
 treated Safie upon a very slight cause. The prince, at his 
 father's command, received her again as his wife. Haroun Al- 
 raschid then declared that he would take Zobeide to be his own 
 wife, and he gave the other three sisters to the calenders, sons 
 of sultans, who accepted them for their brides with much joy. 
 The caliph also appointed the three princes to high offices at his 
 court, and he allotted them magnificent apartments in his pal- 
 ace, and they all lived the remainder of their lives in great 
 happiness. 
 
 STORY OF THE CITY OF BRASS. 
 
 There was in olden times in Damascus of Syria a caliph named 
 Abdel-Melik, the son of Marwan. One day as he was sitting with 
 the great men of his empire, many of them being kings and sul- 
 tans, a discussion took place among them about the tales of 
 ancient nations. They called to mind the stories of Solomon, the 
 son of David, and the power God gave him over genies and wild 
 beasts and birds and other creatures, and they said, " We have 
 
63 
 
 heard from those who lived before us that God bestowed not 
 upon any one the like of that which he bestowed upon Solomon. 
 So great was his power that he used to imprison genies and evil 
 spirits in bottles of brass, and pour molten lead over them, and 
 seal this cover with his seal." 
 
 Then Talib, one of the sultans, related that a man once em- 
 barked in a ship with a company of others, and they sailed away 
 towards the island of Sicily, until a storm arose which drove them 
 out of their course and carried them to the shores of an unknown 
 land. This happened during the darkness of the night. In the 
 morning there came out to them from caves in that land, black 
 men who wore no clothes, and who neither spoke nor understood 
 any language. They had a king of their own race, and he knew 
 Arabic. The king, with a party of his companions, came to the 
 ship, saluted and welcomed those who were in it, and inquired 
 who they were and to what country they belonged. When they 
 informed him, he said to them, " No harm shall befall you. 
 There hath not come to us one of the sons of Adam before 
 you. ' ' 
 
 The king then entertained them with a banquet, and after this 
 the people of the ship went to amuse themselves on the shore. 
 There they found a fisherman who had cast his net into the sea 
 to catch fish. He drew the net up, and in it was a bottle of 
 brass stopped with lead, which was sealed with the seal of Solo- 
 mon, the son of David. The fisherman broke the seal, and there 
 came forth from the bottle a blue smoke which united with the 
 clouds of heaven, and instantly they heard a horrible voice say- 
 ing, " Repentance! repentance! O prophet of God! " Then 
 they saw the smoke formed into a man of frightful appearance and 
 gigantic size, whose head reached as high ?s a mountain, and im- 
 mediately he disappeared from before their eyes. 
 
 The blacks thought nothing of this event, but the people of. the 
 ship were terrified at the spectacle, and they went to the king 
 to inquire about it. In answer to their inquiries the king said, 
 " This is one of the genies who rebelled against King Solomon, 
 
Drawn by A. I. Keller. 
 
 (64) 
 
 THE GENIE OF THE BOTTLE. 
 
65 
 
 and Solomon, to punish them, imprisoned them in bottles and 
 threw them into the sea. When the fisherman casts his net, it gen- 
 erally brings up one of these bottles, and when the bottle is broken, 
 a genie comes forth, and thinking that Solomon is still living, he 
 repents and cries out, ' ' Repentance ! Prophet of God ! ' ' 
 
 The Prince of the Faithful, Abdel-Melik, wondered very 
 much at this story, and he said, " I desire to see some of these 
 bottles." Tajib replied, " O Prince of the Faithful, thou canst 
 do so. Send to thy viceroy in the western country, the Emeer 
 Moosa, ordering him to journey to the sea we have mentioned,, 
 and to bring what thou desirest of these bottles." The Prince 
 of the Faithful approved of this advice, and he sent Talib him- 
 self with a letter to the Emeer Moosa. 
 
 When the Emeer received the letter he read it, and he 
 said to Talib, " I hear and obey the command of the Prince of 
 the Faithful." Then he called together his great men, and he 
 inquired of them about the bottles of King Solomon, and they told 
 him to send for Abdes-Samad, " for," said they, "he is a 
 knowing man and has traveled much. He is acquainted with the 
 deserts and wastes and the seas, and their inhabitants, and their 
 wonders, and their countries, and their districts. Send for him, 
 and he will direct thee to the object of thy desire. " So the 
 Emeer sent for Abdes-Samad, and when he came he said to him, 
 " O Abdes-Samad, our lord the Prince of the Faithful has com- 
 manded us to get for him some of the bottles of Solomon. I have 
 little knowledge of the place where they are to be found, but it 
 has been told to me that thou art acquainted with that country 
 and the routes. Wilt thou then help us to accomplish the wish of 
 the Prince of the Faithful ? " To this Abdes-Samad replied, "O 
 Emeer, the route is difficult, far extending, and there are few 
 tracks. It is a journey of two years going and the same return- 
 ing, and on the way there are dangers and horrors and extra- 
 ordinary and wonderful things. Nevertheless, since it is the wish 
 of the Prince of the Faithful, I am willing to undertake the 
 journey with thee." 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 5 
 
 
66 
 
 Then they began to make preparations, and as soon as every- 
 thing was ready, the Emeer Moosa and Talib and Abdes- 
 Samad set forth, accompanied by a troop of soldiers, and taking 
 with them all things necessary for their expedition. They 
 journeyed on till they came to a great palace. As the gates 
 were open, and they saw no guards at the doors, they dismounted 
 from their horses and entered. The rooms were all of vast size 
 and richly furnished, and the ceilings and walls were decorated 
 with gold and silver, but in the whole building they did not see 
 a single human being. In the midst of the palace was a chamber 
 covered with a lofty dome, rising high into the air, around which 
 were four hundred tombs. They went into one chamber, and 
 they found in it a table with four feet made of alabaster, and 
 having this inscription engraved on it : 
 
 " Upon this table a thousand one-eyed kings have eaten, 
 and a thousand kings each sound in both eyes. All 
 of them have quitted the world and taken up their 
 abode in the burial grounds and the graves." 
 
 The Emeer Moosa and his companions took this table with 
 them and went forth from the palace. Then they proceeded on 
 their journey ad traveled for_three days, when they came to 
 a high hill. On the top of the hill was a horseman of brass with 
 a spear in his hand. The spear had a flat, wide head, and it 
 was so bright that it almost dazzled the eyes of the Emeer 
 and his companions. Nevertheless they looked at it closely, 
 and they were astonished at finding the following words in- 
 scribed upon it : 
 
 " O thou who comest unto me, if thou know not the way 
 that leads to the City of Brass, rub the hand of 'the 
 horseman, and he will turn, and then will stop, and 
 in whatever direction he faces when he stops, travel 
 in that direction without fear, for it will lead thee to 
 the City of Brass. ' ' 
 
6; 
 
 When he read this the Emeer Moosa rubbed the hand of the 
 horseman. Immediately the figure turned round with the speed 
 of lightning, and when it stopped it faced a different direction 
 from that in which they had been traveling. The party therefore 
 turned to the way pointed out by the brazen horseman, and pro- 
 ceeded on their journey. One day they came to a round pillar of 
 black stone, on the top of which appeared the upper half of the 
 body of a black giant, or genie, with the lower part sunk down in 
 the pillar. He was an object frightful to behold. He had two 
 huge wings and four arms. Two of the arms were like those of 
 a man, and the other two were like the legs of a lion. He had 
 hair upon his head like the tails of horses, two eyes like two burn- 
 ing coals, and he had a third eye in his forehead, like the eye 
 of a lynx, from which sparks of fire shot forth. 
 
 When the Emeer Moosa' s party saw this genie they almost lost 
 their senses through fear, and they turned round to flee away, 
 but the Emeer told them that in the state in which he was he 
 could do them no harm. Then Abdes-Samad drew near to the 
 pillar, and raising his voice he said to the genie, " O thou person, 
 what is thy name, what is thy nature, and what has placed thee 
 here in this manner ? " Immediately the genie answered saying, 
 " I am a genie and my name is Dahish. My story is wonderful, 
 and it is this : ' ' 
 
 STORY OF THE GENIE IN THE PILLAR. 
 
 There belonged to one of the sons of Iblees, the king of the 
 Evil Genies, an idol of red carnelian, of which I was made 
 guardian. One of the kings of the sea and his daughter used to 
 worship this idol. The daughter was a maiden, the most beautiful 
 in the world, and when King Solomon heard of her beauty he 
 sent to her father, saying to him, "Give me thy daughter in mar- 
 riage, and break thy idol and worship the true God. If thou 
 refuse, I will bring against thee my armies and destroy thee." 
 
68 
 
 The king of the sea then called his viziers, and requested them 
 to tell him what answer he should make to King Solomon. They 
 advised him to consult the idol of carnelian. So the king came to 
 the idol and prayed before it and begged it to tell him what to do. 
 Then I entered into the body of the idol, and speaking through 
 it, I answered the king of the sea, advising him to refuse the 
 request of King Solomon, and said that if King Solomon should 
 wage war, I would go forth and fight against him and destroy him. 
 Hearing my reply, the king of the sea took courage, and he sent 
 a message to King Solomon refusing to give him his daughter in 
 marriage, or to abandon the worship of the carnelian idol. 
 
 Then Solomon prepared his forces of the good genies and men 
 and wild beasts and birds and reptiles. He commanded Ed- 
 Dimiryat, his vizier of genies, to collect the genies from every 
 place. So he collected for him six hundred millions. He also 
 commanded Asaf, his vizier of men, to collect his soldiers of 
 mankind, and their number was one million. And when all was 
 ready he mounted with his forces of genies and mankind upon 
 his magic carpet, which bore his army through the air, with the 
 birds flying over his head, and the wild beasts beneath, until he 
 alighted on the enemy's coast and surrounded his island. The 
 king of the sea then sent to the people of his country, and col- 
 lected for himself a million of the genies that were under his au- 
 thority. To these he added other genies from the islands of the 
 seas and the tops of mountains, after which he made ready his 
 forces, and distributed weapons among them. 
 
 King Solomon arranged his troops; commanding the wild 
 beasts to form themselves into divisions, on the right of the 
 people, and on their left, and commanding the birds to be upon 
 the islands. He also ordered the birds, when the battle should 
 begin, to tear out the eyes of their enemies with their beaks, 
 ancf to beat their faces with their wings; and he ordered the wild 
 beasts to tear in pieces their horses; and they replied, " We 
 hear and obey, O Prophet of God." Then Solomon set for 
 himself a couch of alabaster adorned with jewels and plated with 
 
69 
 
 plates of gold, and he placed his vizier Asaf on his right side, 
 and his vizier Ed-Dimiryat on his left, and the wild beasts and 
 reptiles before him. 
 
 After this they came upon us all together, and we fought with 
 King Solomon in a wide tract for two days, but we were defeated 
 on the third day. I and my troops were the first who charged 
 upon King Solomon, and I said to my companions, " Keep in 
 your places in the battlefield, while I go forth to them and 
 challenge Ed-Dimiryat. " And Ed-Dimiryat came like a great 
 mountain, his fires flaming and his smoke ascending, and he ap- 
 proached and smote me with a flaming fire, and his arrow pre- 
 vailed over my fire. He cried out at me with a loud cry, so that 
 I thought the heaven had fallen and closed over me, and the 
 mountains shook at his voice. Then he commanded his com- 
 panions and they charged upon us all together. We also charged 
 upon them, and we cried out one to another; the fires rose and 
 the smoke ascended and the battle raged. The birds fought in 
 the air and the wild beasts in the dust, and I fought with Ed- 
 Dimiryat, until he wearied me and I wearied him, after which I 
 became weak and my companions and troops lost courage, and my 
 tribes were defeated. I fled from before Ed-Dimiryat, but he 
 followed me, a journey of three months, until he overtook me. 
 I fell down through fatigue, and he rushed upon me and made 
 me a prisoner. Then I said to him, " Have pity on me and take 
 me before King Solomon. ' ' But when I came before King Solo- 
 mon, he was enraged against me, and he caused this pillar to be 
 brought, and he hollowed it, and put me in it, and sealed me 
 with his seal. Then he chained me, and Ed-Dimiryat conveyed 
 me to this place, where he set me down as thou seest me, and 
 this pillar is my prison until the day of resurrection. 
 
;o 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE CITY OF 
 BRASS. 
 
 The Emeer Moosa and his companions wondered exceedingly 
 at this story, and then Abdes-Samad said to the genie in the pil- 
 lar, " Are there in this place any of the genies confined in bottles 
 of brass from the time of Solomon ? ' ' He answered, ' ' Yes, in 
 the sea of El-Karkar, where dwell some of the descendants of 
 Noah, whose country the deluge did not reach. They are 
 separated ,from the rest of the sons of Adam." " And where," 
 said Abdes-Samad, " is the way to the City of Brass, and the 
 place in which are the bottles ? What distance is there between 
 us and it ? " The genie answered, " It is near." 
 
 The party then proceeded on their journey, and in a little 
 while they saw in the distance a great black object, and in it 
 there seemed to be two fires corresponding with each other in 
 position. " What is this great black object," asked the Emeer 
 Moosa, " and what are these two corresponding fires? " "Be 
 rejoiced, O Emeer," answered Abdes-Samad; " it is the City of 
 Brass, and this is the appearance of it that I find described in 
 the book of hidden treasures, that its wall is of black stones, 
 and it has two towers of brass, which resemble two corresponding 
 fires; hence it is named the City of Brass." 
 
 Hastening on they arrived at the city, and they found that it 
 was strongly fortified, and that its buildings were lofty, rising 
 high into .the air. Its walls were one hundred and twenty feet 
 high, and it had five and twenty gates. They stopped before the 
 walls and endeavored to find one of the gates, but they could not. 
 Then the Emeer Moosa said to Abdes-Samad, " I do not see 
 any gate to this city." Abdes-Samad answered, " I find it de- 
 scribed in the book of hidden treasures that 'it has five and 
 twenty gates, and that none of them may be opened but from 
 within the city." 
 
 Then the Emeer Moosa took Talib and Abdes-Samad with 
 him, and they ascended a mountain which was close by. And 
 
looking down upon the city, they saw that it was greater and 
 more beautiful than anything they had ever beheld. Its palaces 
 were lofty, its domes were shining; rivers were running within it, 
 and there were delightful gardens with trees bearing ripe fruit. 
 But they did not see a human being within its walls. It was 
 empty, still, without a voice or a cheering inhabitant but the 
 owl hooting in its gardens, and birds skimming in circles in its 
 areas, and the raven croaking in its great streets. 
 
 After coming down from the mountain they passed the day 
 trying to devise means of entering the city. At last it occurred 
 to them to make a ladder, and the Emeer called to the carpen- 
 ters and blacksmiths and ordered them to construct a ladder 
 covered with plates of iron. This work occupied a month, and 
 when it was finished the ladder was set up against the wall, and 
 one of the party ascended it. When he reached the top he 
 stood, and, fixing his eyes towards the city, clapped his hands, 
 and cried out with a loud voice, " Thou art beautiful! " Then 
 he cast himself down into the city and was killed. Seeing this 
 the Emeer Moosa said, " If we do thus with all our companions, 
 there will not remain one of them, and we shall be unable to ac- 
 complish the wish of the Prince of the Faithful. Let us depart, 
 and have no more to do with this city." But one of them 
 answered, " Perhaps another may be more steady than he." 
 Then a second ascended, and he did the same as the first, and 
 then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth, and they continued to 
 ascend by that ladder to the top of the wall, one after another, 
 until twelve men of them had gone, acting as the first had acted. 
 
 Abdes-Samad now arose and said, ' ' There is none can do this 
 but myself. " So he ascended the ladder, reciting verses of the 
 Koran until he reached the top, when he clapped his hands and 
 fixed his eyes. The people therefore called out to him, " O 
 Abdes-Samad, do not cast thyself down. If you fall, we all 
 perish. ' ' Then Abdes-Samad sat down upon the wall for a long 
 time, reciting verses of the Koran, after which he rose and cried 
 out, " Emeer, no harm shall happen to you, for God has 
 
72 
 
 averted from me the effect of the artifice and fraud of the Evil 
 One." The Emeer then said to him, " What hast thou seen, 
 O Abdes-Samad? " He answered, " When I reached the top 
 of the wall, I saw ten damsels, beautiful to behold, who made a 
 sign to me with their hands as though they would say, ' Come 
 to us. ' And it seemed to me that beneath me was a sea, or great 
 river, and I desired to cast myself down as our companions did. 
 But I saw them dead, and I recited some words of the Koran, 
 and so I cast not myself down. Therefore the damsels departed. 
 There is no doubt that this is an enchantment contrived by the 
 inhabitants of the city to keep every one from entering it. ' ' 
 
 Abdes-Samad then walked along the wall till he came to the 
 two towers of brass, when he saw that they had two gates of gold, 
 without locks upon them, or any sign of the means of opening 
 them. He remained looking at them a long time, and at last 
 he saw in the middle of one of the gates a figure of a horseman 
 of brass, having one hand stretched out as though he were point- 
 ing with it, and on the hand these words were inscribed : 
 
 " Turn the pin that is in the middle of the front of the 
 horseman's body twelve times, and then the gate 
 will open." 
 
 Abdes-Samad, having read this inscription, examined the horse- 
 man, and found in the middle of the front of his body a pin, 
 strong, firm, and well fixed. He turned it twelve times, and im- 
 mediately the gate opened with a noise like thunder. Abdes- 
 Samad entered, and he walked on until he came to stairs, which 
 he descended. At the foot of the stairs he found a place with 
 handsome wooden benches on which there were dead people, and 
 over their heads were shields, and swords, and bows, and ar- 
 rows. One of the dead men, who appeared to be the oldest, 
 was upon a high bench above the rest. Abdes-Samad thought 
 that the keys of the city might be with this man. ' ' Perhaps, ' ' 
 said he to himself, " he was the gate keeper, and these were 
 under his authority." He therefore went up to the man, and 
 
73 
 
 raised his outer garment, and he found the keys hung to his waist. 
 At the sight of them Abdes-Samad rejoiced exceedingly, and he 
 took the keys and approached the gate in the wall of the city. 
 He found that the keys fitted the locks, so he turned them, and 
 pulled the gate, which opened with a great noise. Then he 
 cried out with a cry of joy, and the Emeer Moosa rejoiced at the 
 safety of Abdes-Samad, and the opening of the gate of the city. 
 The people thanked Abdes-Samad for what he had done, and 
 they all hastened to enter the gate. But the Emeer Moosa 
 cried out to them, saying, " O people, some accident may hap- 
 pen, and if all enter, all may perish. Therefore let half of us 
 enter and half remain outside." 
 
 The Emeer Moosa then entered the gate, and with him half 
 of his troops, carrying their weapons of war. They saw their 
 companions lying dead, and they buried them. They then en- 
 tered the market of the city, which contained a number of lofty 
 buildings. The shops were open, the scales hung up, and the 
 stores full of all kinds of goods, but the merchants were all dead. 
 They passed on to the silk market, in which were silks and bro- 
 cades interwoven with gold and silver upon various colors, and 
 the owners were dead, lying upon skins, and appearing almost 
 as though they would speak. Leaving these they went on to the 
 market of the money changers, all of whom they found dead, 
 with varieties of silks beneath them, and their shops filled with 
 gold and silver. After going through several other markets they 
 came to a lofty palace which they entered. There they found 
 banners unfurled, and swords, and bows, and shields hung up by 
 chains of gold and silver. In the passages of the palace were 
 benches of ivory, ornamented with plates of brilliant gold and 
 with silk, on which were dead men, whose skins had dried upon 
 their bones. Going into the interior of the palace they came to 
 a great hall, and four large and lofty chambers, each one fronting 
 another, and decorated with gold and silver and various colors. 
 In the midst of the hall was a great fountain of alabaster, over 
 which was a canopy of brocade, and in the chambers were 
 
74 
 
 decorated fountains, and tanks lined with marble, and channels 
 of water flowed along the floors, the four streams meeting 
 together in a great tank made of colored marbles. 
 
 The Emeer Moosa and his companions now entered the first 
 chamber, and they found it filled with gold and silver, and pearls 
 and jewels, and jacinths and precious minerals. They found in 
 it chests full of red and yellow and white brocades. They then 
 went into the second chamber, and opened a closet in it, and it 
 was filled with weapons of war, consisting of gilded helmets, and 
 coats of mail, and swords, and lances, and other instruments of 
 war and battle. Then they passed to the third chamber, in 
 which they found closets having upon their doors closed locks, 
 and over them were curtains worked with various kinds of em- 
 broidery. They opened one of these closets, and found it filled 
 with weapons decorated with varieties of gold and silver and 
 jewels. From there they went to the fourth chamber, where 
 they also found closets, one of which they opened, and it was full 
 of utensils for food and drink, consisting of various vessels of gold 
 and silver, and saucers of crystal, and cups set with brilliant 
 pearls, and cups of carnelian. They took what suited them of 
 these things, and each of the soldiers carried off what he could. 
 
 Then they passed on, and found a chamber constructed of 
 polished marble adorned with jewels. They thought that upon 
 the floor was running water, and if any one walked upon it he 
 would slip. The Emeer Moosa therefore ordered Abdes-Samad 
 to throw upon it something, that they might be enabled to walk 
 on it, and he did so, and they passed on. And they found in it 
 a great dome constructed of stones gilt with red gold. The 
 party had not beheld in all that they had seen anything more 
 beautiful than this. In the midst of it there was a great dome- 
 crowned structure of alabaster, around which were lattice windows, 
 decorated and adorned with oblong emeralds. In it was a pavilion 
 of brocade, raised upon columns of red gold, and within this 
 were birds, the feet of which were of emeralds. Beneath each 
 bird was a net of brilliant pearls, spread ovej a fountain, and by 
 
75 
 
 the brink of the fountain was placed a couch adorned with pearls 
 and jewels and jacinths, on which sat a damsel resembling the 
 shining sun. Eyes had not beheld one more beautiful. She wore 
 a garment of brilliant pearls, on her head was a crown of red 
 gold, on her neck was a necklace of jewels, and upon her fore- 
 head were two jewels the light of which was like that of the sun. 
 She seemed as though she were looking at the people, and ob- 
 serving them to the right and left. 
 
 When the Emeer Moosa beheld this damsel, he wondered ex- 
 tremely at her loveliness, and he saluted her respectfully. But 
 Talib said to the Emeer, ' ' This damsel is dead. There is no life 
 in her. How, then, can she return the salutation ?" And he added, 
 " O Emeer, she is skillfully embalmed. Her eyes were taken 
 out after her death, and quicksilver put beneath them, after which 
 they were restored to their places; so they gleam, and whenever 
 the air puts them in motion the beholder imagines that she 
 twinkles her eyes, though she is dead. ' ' Then they saw that the 
 couch upon which the damsel sat had steps, and upon the steps 
 were two slaves, one of them white and the other black. In the 
 hand of one of them was a weapon of steel, and in the hand of 
 the other a jeweled sword that dazzled the eyes. Before the two 
 slaves was a tablet of gold on which was the following inscrip- 
 tion: 
 
 " O thou if thou know me not, I will acquaint thee with 
 my name and descent. I am Tedmur, the daughter 
 of the King of the Amalekites. I possessed what 
 none of the kings possessed, and ruled with justice. 
 I gave and bestowed, and I lived a long time in the 
 enjoyment of happiness and an easy life, and eman- 
 cipated female and male slaves. Thus I did until 
 death came to my abode, and the case was this: 
 Seven years in succession came upon us during 
 which no water descended on us from heaven, nor 
 did any grass grow for us on the face of the earth. 
 So we ate what food we had in our dwellings, and 
 
7 6 
 
 after that we fell upon the beasts and ate them, and 
 there remained nothing. Upon this I caused the 
 wealth to be brought, and measured it with a meas- 
 ure, and sent it by trusty men, who went about with 
 it through all the districts, not leaving unvisited a 
 single large city, to seek for some food. But they 
 found none, and they returned to us with the wealth, 
 after a long absence. Then we exposed to view our 
 riches and our treasures, locked the gates of the for- 
 tresses in our city, and we all died, as thou beholdest, 
 and left what we had built and what we had treas- 
 ured. This is our story. Whoever arrives at our 
 city, and enters it, let him take of the wealth what 
 he can, but not touch anything that is on my body, 
 for it is the covering of my person, and the 
 attire with which I am fitted forth from the world. 
 Therefore let him not seize aught of it; for he would 
 destroy himself." 
 
 The Emeer Moosa, when he read these words, was greatly 
 astonished. Then he said to his companions, " Bring the sacks, 
 and fill them with part of these riches and these vessels and rari- 
 ties and jewels." But Talib said to him, " O Emeer, shall we 
 leave this damsel with the things that are upon her ? They are 
 things that have no equal, and they are more than the riches 
 thou hast taken, and will be the best present for the Prince of 
 the Faithful." But the Emeer replied, " Seest thou not that 
 which the damsel hath given as a charge, in the inscription upon 
 this tablet ? " Talib however, said, " And on account of these 
 words wilt thou leave these riches and these jewels, when she 
 is dead ? What then should she do with these things, which 
 are the ornaments of the world, and the decoration of the living ? 
 With a garment of cotton this damsel might be covered, and 
 we are more worthy of the things than she. ' ' Then he drew 
 near to the steps, and ascended them until he reached the spot 
 
77 
 
 between the two slaves, when suddenly one of them smote him 
 upon his back and the other smote him with the sword that was 
 in his hand, and struck off his head, and he fell down dead. 
 Seeing this the people were much terrified, and the Emeer Moosa 
 commanded them to leave the city and close the gate as it was 
 before. 
 
 They then proceeded on until they came in sight of a high 
 mountain overlooking the sea. In it were many caves in which 
 was a people of the blacks, clad in hides, whose language was 
 not known. And when the blacks saw the troops they ran 
 away from them, while their women and children stood at the 
 entrance of the cave. So the Emeer Moosa said, " O Abdes- 
 Samad, what are these people ?" And he answered, " These are 
 the objects of the inquiry of the Prince of the Faithful." They 
 therefore alighted and the tents were pitched and they had not 
 rested when the king of the blacks came down from the moun- 
 tain, and drew near to the troops. He was acquainted with the 
 Arabic language, and when he came to Emeer Moosa he saluted 
 him, and the Emeer returned his salute and treated him with 
 honor. Then the king of the blacks said to the Emeer, " Are 
 ye of mankind, or of the genies ? " The Emeer answered, 
 " We are of mankind, but as to you, there is no doubt that 
 ye are of the genies, because of the greatness of your size. ' ' But 
 the king of the blacks replied, " Nay, we are a people of the 
 race of Adam, of the sons of Ham, the son of Noah. And this 
 sea is known by the name of El-Karkar. ' ' 
 
 The Emeer then said to him, " We are the messengers and 
 servants of the Caliph Abdel-Melik, and we have come on ac- 
 count of the bottles of brass that are here in your sea, in which 
 are the genies imprisoned from the time of Solomon, the son of 
 David. He hath commanded us to bring him some of them, that 
 he may see them. Wilt thou help us in this matter?" The 
 king of the blacks replied, " Most willingly. " Then he ordered 
 the divers to bring up from the sea some of the bottles of Solo- 
 mon, and they brought up twelve bottles, which the king gave to 
 
78 
 
 the Emeer. The Emeer Moosa was delighted, and Abdes-Samad 
 also, and the soldiers, on account of the accomplishment of the 
 wish of the Prince of the Faithful. The Emeer then presented 
 to the king of the blacks many gifts. 
 
 Then they bade him farewell, and they journeyed back until 
 they came to the land of Syria, and went to the palace of the 
 Prince of the Faithful. The Emeer Moosa told him of all that 
 he had seen, and of the case of Talib. And the Prince of the 
 Faithful said to him, " Would that I had been with you, 
 that I might have beheld what ye beheld." He then took the 
 bottles, and proceeded to open one after another, and the 
 genies came forth from them saying, " Repentance ! O Prophet 
 of God ! We will not return to the like conduct ever." After 
 this the Prince of the Faithful caused the riches to be brought 
 before him, and divided them among the people. 
 
 This is the end of that which hath come down to us of the 
 history of the City of Brass. 
 
 STORY OF GULNARE OF THE SEA. 
 
 There was in ancient times a king of Persia whose name was 
 Shahzeman. The city in which he lived was on the shore of the 
 sea, and was called the White City. Though he was rich and 
 had great power, King Shahzeman was very unhappy because he 
 had no son to be the heir of his kingdom. 
 
 One day a merchant came to the king's palace with a beautiful 
 young slave girl, and Shahzeman, as soon a,s he saw her, fell in 
 love with her, and bought her from the merchant for ten thou- 
 sand pieces of gold. He then married her and made her his 
 queen, but he was much troubled to find that she did not seem 
 to be happy, although he loved her greatly, and gave her every- 
 thing she wanted. She never laughed and never spoke a word 
 to him or to any of her attendants. 
 
 This continued for more than a year, until one day while the 
 
79 
 
 king was telling her of his love and admiration, and begging her 
 to speak and let him know the cause of her sorrow, the queen 
 suddenly smiled and began to talk. She then told him who she 
 was and how she came to be a slave. " Sire," said she, " my 
 name is Gulnare of the Sea. My father, who is dead, was one 
 of the most powerful monarchs of the ocean. At his death he 
 left his kingdom to my brother, named Saleh, and to the Queen 
 Fareshah, my mother, who is the daughter of a great sea king. 
 But a neighboring prince, without any provocation, invaded 
 our kingdom, and took our capital, and we were obliged to go 
 elsewhere to live. My brother wished me to marry, and he 
 thought that I should marry one of the princes of the earth, as I 
 could not get one of the princes of the sea because we had lost 
 our kingdom. I would not agree to this, and so my brother and 
 I quarreled, and in my anger I gave a spring from the bottom of 
 the sea to the Island of the Moon. Here a great lord seized me, 
 and carried me to his home. He wanted me to marry him, and 
 when I refused he sold me to the merchant who brought me to 
 your palace. As for you, Sire," if you had not shown me so much 
 respect and given me such marks of your love, I would not have 
 remained with you. I would have thrown myself into the sea 
 out of this window, and would have returned to my mother, my 
 brother, and the rest of my relations. But now I shall live 
 happy with you, and we shall soon have a child to be heir to your 
 kingdom, and this will be a pledge to you that I shall never leave 
 you. ' ' 
 
 King Shahzeman was delighted to hear his queen speak, and 
 still more delighted to know that he was to have an heir to his 
 throne. But he was astonished to learn that there were king- 
 doms and princes in the sea, and he asked Gulnare to tell him 
 more about it. "I cannot understand," said he, " how people 
 can live or move in the water without being drowned. ' ' 
 
 " Sire," replied Queen Gulnare, " we can walk at the bottom 
 of the sea with as much ease as you can upon land, and we can 
 breathe in the water as you do in the air. What is yet more re- 
 
8o 
 
 markable, the water never wets our clothes, so that when we wish 
 to visit the earth, we have no need to dry them. And the water 
 does not hinder us from seeing, for we can open our eyes without 
 hurting them, and we can see any object as clearly in the deepest 
 part of the ocean as upon land. The palaces of the kings and 
 princes of the sea are magnificent. Some of them are built of 
 marble of various colors, others of rock crystal, and others of 
 mother-of-pearl, or coral. Gold, silver, and all sorts of precious 
 stones are more plentiful there than on earth. As for pearls, the 
 largest that ever were seen upon earth would be of little 
 value compared to those in the kingdoms of the sea. As we have 
 power in the sea to convey ourselves where we please in the 
 twinkling of an eye, we have no need for carriages or horses. 
 However, the king has his stables, and his stud of sea horses, but 
 they are seldom used, except on public festival or rejoicing 
 days. The horses are trained to draw by themselves, so that 
 there is no need of drivers to guide them, and the chariots are 
 made of mother-of-pearl, adorned with shells of all sorts, of the 
 most beautiful colors. These chariots are open, and in the mid- 
 dle is a throne on which the king sits, and shows himself to his 
 subjects. Many more curious things about the kingdoms of the 
 sea I shall tell you of at another time, but now I wish to ask you, 
 Sire, to grant me leave to send for my mother and for my 
 brother, with whom I much wish to be reconciled. They will be 
 glad to see me the wife of the mighty king of Persia, and I think 
 you will be pleased to see them. ' ' 
 
 " Dear Gulnare, " replied the king, " you are queen; do what- 
 ever you please; I will receive your mother and brother with all 
 the honors they deserve. But how will you invite them, and 
 when will they arrive, that I may give orders to make preparation 
 for their reception, and go myself to meet them ? " " Sire," 
 replied Queen Gulnare, " there is no need of such ceremonies. 
 They will be here in a moment, and if your majesty will step into 
 that small room and look through the window towards the sea, 
 you shall behold the manner of their arrival. ' ' 
 
8l 
 
 As soon as the king of Persia entered the small room, Queen 
 Gukiare ordered one of her women to bring a fire pan with a little 
 fire. After these were brought she ordered the woman to retire, 
 and she shut the door. When she was alone, she took a piece 
 of aloes wood out of a box, and put it into the fire pan. As 
 soon as she saw the smoke rise, she repeated some words known 
 only to herself. Immediately the sea began to be rough, and it 
 opened in the distance. Then there arose out of it a tall, hand- 
 some young man, with whiskers of a sea-green color. A little 
 behind him came an elderly lady of majestic air, attended by 
 five young ladies, all as beautiful as Queen Gulnare. They 
 seemed to be carried upon the surface of the waves, and when 
 they came to the shore, they nimbly, one after another, sprang 
 in at the window. They were King Saleh, brother of Queen 
 Gulnare, her mother, Queen Fareshah, and five princesses, 
 their relations. On their entrance they all embraced Queen 
 Gulnare tenderly, shedding tears of joy. 
 
 The king of Persia treated his guests with great honor, enter- 
 taining them every day at magnificent feasts, and he made them 
 remain with him for several months. 
 
 In the mean while Queen Gulnare gave birth to a son, which 
 caused the king greater joy than can be expressed. The young 
 prince being of a beautiful countenance, his father thought no 
 name so proper for him' as that of Beder Basim, which in the 
 Arabian language signifies the full moon. In token of his grati- 
 tude to Heaven, he gave liberal alms to the poor, and made all 
 his slaves of both sexes free. He distributed vast sums among 
 the ministers and holy men of his religion. He also ordered re- 
 joicings to be kept up for several days through the whole city. 
 
 One day as King Shahzeman, Queen Gulnare, the queen 
 her mother, King Saleh her brother, and the princesses their re- 
 lations, were talking together in Queen Gulnare 's chamber, the 
 nurse came in with the young Prince Beder in her arms. King 
 Saleh, as soon as he saw the child, ran to embrace him, and, 
 taking him in his arms, kissed and caressed him with the greatest 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 6 
 
82 
 
 tenderness. He took several turns with him about the room, 
 dancing and tossing him about, when all of a sudden, the window 
 being open, he sprang out, and plunged with him into the sea. 
 
 The king of Persia, thinking he should see his son no more, 
 was overwhelmed with grief. " Sire," said Queen Gulnare, " let 
 your Majesty fear nothing; the young prince, by being taken thus 
 into the water, will be able to live in the sea as well as on the 
 land." Queen Fareshah and the princesses said the same thing, 
 nevertheless the king was much distressed and alarmed. But in 
 a few minutes the sea became very rough, and immediately King 
 Saleh arose with the young prince in his arms, and, holding him 
 up in the air, reentered at the window from which he had leaped. 
 The king of Persia, overjoyed to see Prince Beder again, and 
 astonished that he was as dry as before, said to King Saleh, 
 " Prince, you now make me happy by bringing my son to me 
 again." " You had not the least reason," replied King Saleh, 
 " to fear danger; for before I plunged into the sea, I said certain 
 words, which are engraved on the seal of Solomon the son of 
 David. Now your son, as long as he lives, and as often as he 
 pleases, may plunge into the sea, and travel through the vast 
 empires it contains in its bosom. ' ' 
 
 Having so spoken, King Saleh, after restoring Prince Beder to 
 his nurse's arms, opened a box he had fetched from his palace 
 under the sea. In it were three hundred diamonds, as large as 
 pigeons' eggs, with the same number of rubies and emeralds of 
 extraordinary size, and thirty necklaces, having each ten rows of 
 the finest pearls. " Sire," said he to the king of Persia, pre- 
 senting him with the box, ' ' I beg you to accept this small token 
 of gratitude in acknowledgment of the many favors you have 
 been pleased to confer on the queen my sister, for which we 
 owe you the greatest thanks. ' ' Then he told the king of Persia 
 that the queen his mother, the princesses his relations, and him- 
 self, could have no greater pleasure than to spend their whole 
 lives at his court, but that having been so long absent from their 
 own home, they begged to take leave of him and Queen Gulnare. 
 
83 
 
 The king of Persia answered that he was sorry it was not in his 
 power to return their visit, but added, " As I am sure you will 
 not forget Gulnare, I hope I shall see you again more than 
 once." Many tears were shed on both sides at parting. Then 
 King Saleh, Queen Fareshah, and the five princesses, flew to the 
 sea, and, descending into it, disappeared. ' 
 
 Prince Beder was brought up and educated with the utmost 
 care in the palace, under the king and queen of Persia. As he 
 advanced in years, his agreeable manners and ready wit gave the 
 greatest pleasure to his parents, and their pleasure was increased 
 when King Saleh his uncle, the queen his grandmother, and 
 the princesses his relations, came from time to time to share in 
 it. Prince Beder, at the age of fifteen, knew all the sciences 
 that were fitting for a prince of his rank. He was also wise and 
 prudent, so that the king, his father, who began to feel the 
 weakness of old age, proposed to resign to him the throne. He 
 had no difficulty in making his council and his people con- 
 sent to this arrangement, for they saw that the young prince had 
 all the qualities of justice, mercy, and generosity, which became 
 a good and great monarch. 
 
 The day for the young prince's coronation was appointed, and 
 when it arrived, the king of Persia, in the midst of his ministers 
 and officers, came down from his throne, and, taking the crown 
 from his head, put it on the head of his son. Then he seated 
 Prince Beder on the throne, and bowed down before him as a 
 sign that he gave up his authority to him. 
 
 The first year of King Beder 's reign passed off most happily. 
 At its close, the old king, his father, fell so dangerously ill that 
 he knew he should never recover. His only care was to recom- 
 mend to the viziers and other lords to be faithful to his son. 
 Soon afterwards he died, to the great grief of King Beder and 
 Queen Gulnare, and his body was borne to a magnificent tomb. 
 After the funeral King Beder, in accordance with ancient custom, 
 mourned a whole month, and was not seen in public during that 
 time. When the month expired, the king, at the request of the 
 
8 4 
 
 grand vizier and the other lords of his court, laid aside his mourn- 
 ing, and began to attend to the affairs of his kingdom the same 
 as before his father's death. Thus he continued to do for the 
 space of a year, and his life was happy and his reign prosperous. 
 
 STORY OF KING BEDER BASIM AND THE PRINCESS 
 JOHARAH. 
 
 About a year after the death of King Beder Basim's father, 
 his uncle, King Saleh, came to visit him. He was received with 
 great rejoicing by King Beder, and his mother, Queen Gulnare. 
 One evening, talking of various matters, King Saleh began 
 to tell about the beauty and good qualities of the Princess Jo- 
 harah, the loveliest of the princesses of all the kingdoms of the 
 sea. King Beder was in love with her from his uncle's de- 
 scription, thpugh he had never seen her or heard of her be- 
 fore, and he declared that he must have her for his wife. 
 But his uncle, and the queen his mother, told him that it 
 would be very difficult for him to get the Princess Joharah, as 
 her father, the king of Samandal, would refuse to give his 
 daughter to any earthborn prince, no matter how powerful he 
 might be. 
 
 King Beder, however, set his mind on having the fair maiden, 
 and he begged his uncle to set out and take him, without Queen 
 Gulnare 's knowledge, to the kingdoms of the sea, that he might 
 try to obtain the object of his wishes. King Saleh at last con- 
 sented, and after making preparations to depart, he drew from 
 his finger a ring, on which were engraved the same mysterious 
 names of God that were upon Solomon's seal, which had wrought 
 so many wonders by their virtue. " Here, take this ring," said 
 he to King Beder, " put it on your finger, and fear neither the 
 waters of the sea, nor their depth." The king of Persia took 
 the ring, and when he had put it on his finger, King Saleh said 
 to him, " Do as I do. " Then they both mounted lightly up 
 
85 
 
 into the air, and made towards the sea, which was not far distant, 
 and plunged into it. 
 
 The sea king was not long in arriving at his own palace, with 
 the king of Persia, whom he immediately conducted to Queen 
 Fareshah's apartment. While King Beder was in conversation 
 with his relatives, the five princesses and others, Queen Fareshah 
 left him, and went with King Saleh into another chamber. 
 There King Saleh told her how the king of Persia had fallen in 
 love with the Princess Joharah, upon the bare description of her 
 beauty, and that he had, against his own wishes and without the 
 knowledge of Queen Gulnare, brought him along with him to try 
 to procure the princess in marriage. " I much wish, " replied 
 the queen, " that we had not to make this demand, for the suc- 
 cess of our attempt is not so certain as we could desire. How- 
 ever, as my grandson's peace and contentment depend upon it, 
 I freely give my consent. But, I advise you, as I well know the 
 disposition of the king of Samandal, that you take care to offer 
 rich gifts worthy a king to give and a king to receive. ' ' 
 
 The queen prepared the present herself. It was made up of 
 diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls, all of which she put into 
 a rich box. Next morning, King Saleh departed witlj a troop 
 of officers and attendants. He soon arrived at the kingdom and 
 the palace of the king of Samandal, who made no delay in re- 
 ceiving him. Rising up from his throne when King Saleh 
 entered, the king of Samandal received the box of jewels, and 
 after he had examined them he said, " Prince, you would not 
 give me such a present unless you had a request to make. If 
 there is anything in my power to grant, you may command me, 
 and I shall feel great pleasure in complying with your wishes. 
 Speak, and tell me how I can serve you. ' ' 
 
 " I admit," replied King Saleh, " I have a request to make, 
 but I shall take care to ask nothing that is not in your power to 
 grant. I come to beg you to honor our family with your con- 
 nection by the marriage of your daughter, and to strengthen the 
 good understanding that has so long existed between us. ' ' 
 
86 
 
 At these words the king of Samandal burst into a loud laugh, 
 falling back in his throne against a cushion that supported him, 
 and with a haughty air said, ' ' King Saleh, I have always thought 
 you a prince of great wisdom and prudence, but what you say 
 shows me I was mistaken. Tell me where is your sense when 
 you make such a proposal to me ? Can you think of asking in 
 marriage a princess, the daughter of so powerful a monarch as my- 
 self ? You ought to have considered the great distance between 
 us, and not run the -risk of losing in a moment the respect I 
 always had for you." 
 
 King Saleh was hurt at this answer, and could scarcely restrain 
 his anger. However, he replied with calmness, " O king, I do 
 not demand your daughter for myself, but for the young king of 
 Persia, my nephew, whose power and wealth cannot be unknown 
 to you. Everybody acknowledges the Princess Joharah to be the 
 most beautiful maiden of the sea, but the king of Persia is the 
 handsomest and most accomplished prince on earth. The princess 
 is worthy of the king of Persia, and the king of Persia is not 
 less worthy of her." 
 
 The king of Samandal, on hearing these words, broke out into 
 insulting expressions unworthy of a great king. " Dog," cried 
 he, " dare you talk to me in this manner, and so much as 
 mention my daughter's name in my presence ? Can you think 
 the son of your sister Gulnare worthy to compare with my 
 daughter ? Who are you ? Who was your father ? Who is 
 your sister ? And who is your nephew ? Guards, seize the inso- 
 lent wretch, and strike off his head. ' ' 
 
 The king of Samandal 's officers were about to obey his com- 
 mands, when King Saleh, who was nimble and vigorous, escaped 
 from them before they could draw their swords. Having 
 reached the palace gate, he found there a thousand men of his 
 own guards, who had just arrived, well armed. The queen, his 
 mother, foreseeing the reception he would meet from the king 
 of Samandal, had sent them to protect and defend him in case 
 of danger, ordering them to make haste. "Sire," cried his 
 
87 
 
 friends, the moment he joined them, " who has insulted you? 
 We are ready to punish him, whoever he is; you need only to 
 command us. ' ' King Saleh told them in a few words how mat- 
 ters stood, and putting himself at their head, he reentered the 
 palace. The few officers and guards who had pursued him being 
 soon scattered, he seized the king of Samandal and then went 
 from apartment to apartment, to search for the Princess Joharah. 
 But she, on the first alarm, had, together with her women, sprung 
 up to the surface of the sea, and escaped to a desert island. 
 
 While these events, passed in the palace of the king of Sam- 
 andal, some of King Saleh' s attendants fled to Queen Fareshah 
 and told her of the danger of her son. King Beder, who was 
 present at the time, was much distressed, as he himself was the 
 chief cause of the trouble. Not wishing, therefore, to remain 
 in the queen's court any longer, he left the palace, and darted 
 up from the bottom of the sea. But he was not able to find 
 his way to his own kingdom, and without knowing it he landed 
 on the island to which the Princess Joharah had escaped. Greatly 
 disturbed in mind, he seated himself under the shade of a pleas- 
 ant grove. He soon heard sounds of the human voice, but was 
 too far off to understand what was said. He arose and advanced 
 towards the place from which the sound proceeded, and there 
 among the branches he saw a maiden whose beauty dazzled 
 him. " Doubtless," said he within himself, stopping and look- 
 ing at her with great attention, " this is the Princess Joharah, 
 who through fear has abandoned her father's palace; or if not, 
 she is some princess deserving of my love. ' ' He then approached 
 the lady and said, " Madam, a greater happiness could not have 
 come to me than this opportunity to offer you my services. I 
 beg you, therefore, to accept them, as it is impossible that a 
 lady in this place should not want assistance. ' ' 
 
 " True, sir," replied Joharah sorrowfully; " I am a princess, 
 daughter of the king of Samandal, and my name is Joharah. 
 I was happy in my father's palace, in my own apartment, when 
 suddenly I heard a dreadful noise. Tidings were immediately 
 
brought me that King Saleh, I know not for what reason, had 
 forced the palace gates, seized the king my father, and killed all 
 the guards. I had time only to save myself and escape to this 
 place. ' ' 
 
 King Beder was now sorry that he had left his grandmother in 
 such haste, without staying for further explanation of the news 
 that had been brought. But on the other hand, he was rejoiced 
 to find that his uncle had made himself master of the king of 
 Samandal's person, feeling sure that the king would consent to 
 give up the princess for his own liberty. " Fair princess," said 
 he, again addressing Joharah, " your anxiety is natural, but it 
 is easy to put an end to it and to your father's danger. I am 
 Beder, king of Persia. King Saleh is my uncle. I assure you, 
 princess, he has no intention to seize your father's kingdom; his 
 only wish is to obtain your father's consent to my asking your 
 hand in marriage. I have already given my heart to^ou, upon 
 the bare description of your beauty, and now I declare that 
 I will love you as long as I live." 
 
 This explanation of King Beder did not succeed as he ex- 
 pected. When the princess heard that he was the cause of 
 all the ill-treatment of her father, and of the grief and fright 
 she had endured, she looked upon him as her enemy. How- 
 ever, she resolved not to let King Beder know of her anger, 
 but to try to free herself out of his hands. Pretending, there- 
 fore, to have a great kindness for him, she said, " Are you, then, 
 son of the Queen Gulnare so famous for her wit and beauty ? 
 I rejoice that you are the son of so worthy a mother. The king 
 my father was wrong to oppose our marriage. If he had seen 
 you, he would have consented to make us happy." Saying so 
 she reached out her hand to him as a token of friendship. King 
 Beder, in the greatest happiness, held forth his hand, and, taking 
 that of the princess, stooped down to kiss it, when she, pushing 
 him back, said, .' ' Prince, quit the form of a man, and take that of 
 a white bird, with a red bill and red claws. ' ' Upon her saying 
 these words, King Beder was immediately changed into a bird, 
 
8 9 
 
 to his great surprise and grief. ' ' Take him, ' ' said she to one 
 of her women, " and carry him to the Dry Island." 
 
 Now Dry Island was only one frightful rock, where not a drop 
 of water was to be had. The attendant took the bird, but she 
 felt much sympathy for King Beder. " It would be a great 
 pity," said she to herself, " to let_ such a prince die of hunger 
 and thirst. The princess, who is good and gentle, will, perhaps, 
 repent of this cruel order. It is better to carry him to a place 
 where he may die a natural death. ' ' She accordingly carried 
 him to a different island, and left him in a charming plain, 
 planted with all sorts of fruit trees, and watered by many streams. 
 
 In the mean while, 'King Saleh, after he had searched every- 
 where for the Princess Joharah, caused the king of Samandal to 
 be shut up in his own palace, under a strong guard. Then, 
 having appointed suitable persons to govern the kingdom in his 
 absence, rfe returned to give his mother an account of what he 
 had done. The first question he asked on his arrival was about 
 the king, his nephew, and he learned with great surprise and much 
 vexation that he could not be found. " News being brought to 
 me, ' ' said the queen, ' ' of the danger you were in at the palace 
 of the king of Samandal, I gave orders to send you other troops, 
 and just at that time he disappeared. He must have been 
 alarmed at hearing of your being in such great danger, and thought 
 that he was not safe with, us. ' ' This news greatly distressed King 
 Saleh, who now repented that he had taken Beder away with 
 him without Queen Gulnare's consent. He sought for him in 
 many places, but in vain. Then, leaving his own kingdom 
 under the administration of his mother, he went to govern that 
 of the king of Samandal, whom he still held as prisoner though 
 treating him with respect as a king. 
 
 The same day that King Saleh left for the kingdom of Saman- 
 dal, Queen Gulnare arrived at the court of the queen her mother, 
 to make inquiries about her son, for she suspected that he had 
 gone with King Saleh. Her mother told her all that happened 
 up to the time of the disappearance of King Beder. " I have 
 
90 
 
 sought diligently after him," added she, " and the king my son, 
 who is just gone to govern the kingdom of Samandal, has done 
 everything in his power. All our endeavors have proved un- 
 successful, but we must hope nevertheless to see him again, 
 perhaps when we least expect it. ' ' 
 
 Queen Gulnare looked upon the king her son as lost, and la- 
 mented him bitterly, laying all the blame on the king his uncle. 
 She then took leave of her mother, and returned to the palace 
 of the capital of Persia, where she governed with the prime minis- 
 ter and council, in the same way as if the king had been present. 
 
 Meanwhile King Beder, in the form of a bird, was alone on 
 the island. He did not know where he was, or in what direction 
 the kingdom of Persia lay. But even if he had known, and tried 
 to fly away, how could he cross so many vast seas ? And even 
 if he reached his kingdom, he would still be a bird, and nobody 
 would acknowledge him as king. He was therefor^ forced to 
 remain on the island, live upon such food as birds eat, and pass 
 the nights on a tree. 
 
 One day a fowler chanced to come to the place where he was, 
 and seeing so fine a bird, he cast his net over him and caught 
 him. Overjoyed at so great a prize, which he thought of more 
 value than the other birds he commonly took, he shut it up in a 
 cage, carried it to the city, and going directly to the palace, 
 he placed himself before the king's apai&nent The king hap- 
 pened just then to be standing at the window, and as soon as 
 he cast his eye on the beautiful bird, he sent an officer of his 
 household to buy it for him. The officer, going to the fowler, 
 asked him how much he would take for the bird. "If it be for 
 his Majesty," answered the fowler, " I humbly beg him to ac- 
 cept it as a present, and I wish you to carry it to him." The 
 officer took the bird to the king, and the king thought it so beauti- 
 ful that he ordered the officer to give ten pieces of gold to the 
 fowler, who departed very well satisfied. Then the king com- 
 manded them to put the bird into a magnificent cage, where it 
 was supplied with seed and water in rich vessels. 
 
91 
 
 The officer brought the cage into the royal chamber, and the 
 king, that he might better view the bird, took it out himself, and 
 perched it upon his hand. Looking earnestly upon it, he asked 
 the officer if he had seen it eat. " Sire," replied the officer, 
 " the vessel with his food is still full, and I do not think he has 
 touched any of it. ' ' At this moment the dinner being served 
 up, the bird, napping his wings, leaped off the king's hand and 
 flew upon the table, where he began to peck the bread and meat, 
 sometimes on one plate and sometimes on another. The king 
 was so surprised that he sent the captain of the guards to request 
 the queen to come and See this wonder. In a few minutes the 
 queen came into the room, and the moment she looked at the 
 bird she said to the king, " Sire, this is not, as you suppose, a 
 bird, but a man, the king of Persia, named Beder, son of the 
 celebrated Gulnare, nephew of Saleh, and grandson of Queen 
 Fareshah. It was the princess Joharah, daughter of the king of 
 Samandal, who changed him into a bird, and thus revenged her- 
 self for what King Saleh did to the king of Samandal, her 
 father." 
 
 The king, knowing that his queen was a skillful magician, 
 then requested her to break the enchantment, that King Beder 
 might return to his own form. " Sire," said she to the king, 
 " be pleased to take the bird into your private room, and. I will 
 present to you a king worthy of your consideration. ' ' The bird 
 understood what the king and queen said, and so he hopped into 
 the room before them. Soon afterwards the queen came 
 with a vessel full of water in her hand. She pronounced over 
 the vessel some words, till the water began to boil. Then sprink- 
 ling a little of the water upon the bird, she said, " By virtue of 
 those words I have just pronounced, quit the form of a bird, 
 and take that received from thy Creator." 
 
 The words were scarcely out of the queen's mouth when, in- 
 stead of a bird, the king saw before him a young prince of 
 beautiful appearance. King Beder immediately fell on his knees 
 and thanked God, and he then threw himself before the king, 
 
92 
 
 who helped him up, and embraced him with great joy. He 
 would have thanked the queen, but she had already gone to her 
 apartment. The king made him sit at the table with him, and 
 having heard from his own mouth the wonders of his history, 
 said, " Tell me, I beg of you, in what way I can further serve 
 you." " Sire," answered King Beder, " I entreat you to grant 
 me one of your ships to carry me to Persia, where I fear the 
 queen my mother is in great distress through uncertainty whether 
 I am alive or dead." The king readily granted what he desired, 
 and King Beder embarked, after having taken leave of the 
 king, and thanked him for all his favors! 
 
 The ship sailed with fair wind for ten days, but on the eleventh 
 there arose a furious tempest, which drove the vessel out of its 
 course so violently that it struck against a rock and sunk. Most 
 of the people were instantly drowned. Some were saved by 
 swimming, and others by getting on pieces of the wreck. King 
 Beder was among the latter, and after having been tossed about 
 for some time by the waves, he at length found himself near the 
 shore, and not far from a large city. Exerting his remaining 
 strength he was so fortunate as to reach the land. He had 
 scarcely done so, when to his great surprise he saw horses, camels, 
 mules, asses, oxen, cows, bulls, and other animals crowding to 
 the shore, and putting themselves in an attitude to oppose his 
 landing. With the utmost difficulty he forced his way against 
 them, and sheltered himself among the rocks, till he had recov- 
 ered his strength and dried his clothes in the sun. 
 
 When the prince advanced to enter the city, he met with the 
 same opposition from these animals, who seemed to wish to make 
 him give up his purpose, and get him to understand it was dangerous 
 to proceed. King Beder, however, entered the city, and there he 
 saw many fine streets, but was surprised to find no human beings. 
 This made him think that it was not without cause that so many 
 animals had opposed his passage. Going forward he observed 
 several shops open, which gave him reason to believe that the 
 place was not destitute of inhabitants. He approached one of 
 
93 
 
 these shops, where several sorts of fruit were exposed for sale, 
 and saluted an old man who was sitting within. 
 
 The old man lifted up his head, and seeing King Beder, asked 
 him where he came from, and what business brought him there. 
 King Beder told him in a few words, and the old man further 
 asked him if he had met anybody on the road. ' ' You are the 
 first person I have seen," answered the king, " and I cannot 
 understand why so fine and large a city is without inhabitants. ' ' 
 " Come in, sir, stay no longer upon the threshold," replied the 
 old man, " or perhaps some misfortune may happen to you. I 
 will give you a reason why it is necessary you should take this 
 precaution. ' ' 
 
 King Beder entered the shop, and the old man immediately set 
 food before him and would not tell him anything till he had done 
 eating. When he found he ate no longer, he said to him, " You 
 have great reason to thank God that you got here without ac- 
 cident. " " Alas ! why? " asked King Beder, much surprised 
 and alarmed. " Because," answered he, " this is the City of 
 Enchantments. It is governed by a queen, who, though a most 
 beautiful woman, is a most dangerous sorceress. These horses, 
 mules, and other animals you have seen, are all men, like ourselves, 
 whom she has changed into their present shapes by her magic. 
 She receives in the kindest manner strangers who enter the city. 
 She entertains them magnificently, and gives them reason to believe 
 that she loves them. But she does not allow them to enjoy this 
 happiness long. There is not one of them but she has changed 
 into some animal or bird at the end of forty days. These ani- 
 mals who opposed your landing, and tried to hinder you from 
 entering the city, did all they could to make you understand that 
 you were exposing yourself to danger. ' ' 
 
 This account greatly distressed the young king of Persia. 
 ' ' Alas ! ' ' cried he, ' ' to what evils has my ill fortune brought 
 me ! I am hardly free from one enchantment, which I look back 
 upon with horror, when I find myself exposed to another much 
 more terrible. ' ' Then he related his story to the old man more 
 
94 
 
 at length, and told him of his love for the princess of Samandal, 
 and her cruelty in changing him into a bird the very moment he 
 had declared his love to her. When the prince came to speak 
 of his good fortune in finding a queen who broke the enchant- 
 ment, the old man to encourage him said, " Though all I have 
 told you of the magic of the queen of this city is true, that ought 
 not to give you the least trouble, for I am beloved throughout 
 the city, and am not unknown to the queen herself, who has 
 much respect for me. It was your good fortune which led you 
 to me rather than to any one else. You are safe in my house, 
 where I advise you to remain, and I assure you, you will have no 
 cause to complain of me." 
 
 King Beder thanked the old man for the kind protection he 
 was pleased to afford him. He then sat down at the entrance of 
 the shop, where he attracted the attention of all who passed. 
 The old man soon became as fond of him as if he were his own 
 son, and his fondness increased every day during the stay he 
 made with him. 
 
 They had lived about a month together, when when one day, as 
 King Beder was sitting at the shop door, the magic queen, whose 
 name was Labe, passed by with great pomp. Her guards, a thou- 
 sand in number, four files deep, clothed in purple uniform, and 
 well armed and mounted, marched first with their swords drawn, 
 each officer as he passed by the shop saluting the old man. Then 
 followed the same number of servants of the household, dressed 
 in brocaded silk, and better mounted, -and their officers also 
 saluted the old man. Next came as many young ladies on foot, 
 all beautiful and richly dressed. They marched with short rods 
 in their hands, and in the midst of them appeared Queen Labe, 
 on a horse glittering with diamonds and a golden saddle. Air 
 the young ladies saluted the old man as they passed him, and 
 the queen, struck with the good looks of King Beder, stopped 
 as soon as she came before the shop. " Abdallah, " said she to 
 the old man, for that was his name, " tell me, does that beauti- 
 
95 
 
 ful and charming slave belong to thee ? and hast thou long been 
 in possession of him ? ' ' 
 
 Abdallah, before he answered the queen, bowed down to the 
 ground, and rising again, said, " Madam, having no children, 
 I look upon him as my son, and sent for him to come and live 
 with me." " Father," said Queen Labe, " will you not oblige 
 me so far as to make me a present of this young man ? Do not 
 refuse me, I beg you, and I will make him so great and powerful 
 that no person in the world ever had such good fortune. Although 
 I do evil to all mankind, he shall be an exception. I promise 
 you, you shall never have any cause to regret having obliged me 
 in this manner. ' ' Old Abdallah was greatly grieved, both on his 
 own account and King Beder's, for he knew he had to obey the 
 queen. " Madam," replied he, "I put entire confidence in 
 your word, and I do not doubt you will keep it. I only beg of 
 you to delay this great honor to my nephew till you shall again 
 pass our way." " That shall be to-morrow," said the queen, 
 who bowed her head, as a token of being pleased, and then 
 went towards her palace. 
 
 The queen did not fail to pass by the old man's shop the next 
 day, with the same pomp as before. Abdallah waited for her 
 with great respect. " Father, ' ' cried she, " you may judge of my 
 impatience to have your adopted son with me, by my coming so 
 punctually to remind you of your promise. I know you are a man 
 of your word, and I cannot think you will break it with me." 
 
 Abdallah, who bowed down as soon as he saw the queen ap- 
 proaching, rose up when she had done speaking, and as he 
 wished to talk to her privately he advanced as far as her horse's 
 head, and then said in a low voice, " I hope you will not be 
 offended at my seeming unwillingness to trust my adopted son 
 with you yesterday. You well know the reasons I had for it, and 
 you will make me very miserable if you deal with him as you 
 have done with others." " I promise you I will not," replied 
 the queen. Upon this the old man turned to King Beder, and 
 
9 6 
 
 taking him by the arm, presented him to the queen. ' ' Madam, ' ' 
 said he, " I beg you to let him come and see me sometimes." 
 The queen promised he should, and as a further mark of her 
 gratitude, she gave Abdallah a purse of a thousand pieces of 
 gold. She had caused a horse to be brought, with trappings as 
 rich as her own, for the king of Persia, and he mounted imme- 
 diately and then they rode off. 
 
 Having arrived at the palace, they all dismounted, and the 
 queen, giving her hand to King Beder, entered with him, accom- 
 panied by her women and chief officers. She herself showed him 
 through the palace, and nothing was to be seen but gold, 
 precious stones, and furniture of wonderful magnificence. After 
 a short time, a banquet was served on gold plate, at which 
 there was every sort of rich food that could be prepared for a 
 queen's table. In the evening there was a concert, and other 
 amusements, to add to the pleasure of the guest whom the 
 queen and her ladies desired to honor. 
 
 Queen Labe treated King Beder after this manner for forty 
 days, as she had treated other young strangers who visited the 
 city. But on the fortieth night, believing him to be asleep, she 
 entered his chamber without making any noise. Though King 
 Beder was awake, he pretended to be sleeping, and feeling cer- 
 tain she meant some evil against him, he watched all her 
 motions. She opened a chest and took from it a little box full 
 of yellow powder, some of which she scattered upon the floor, 
 and immediately it became a stream of running water, to the 
 great astonishment of King Beder. Queen Labe next took 
 some of the water in a vessel, and poured it into a basin that con- 
 tained flour, which she kneaded for a long time. Then she 
 mixed with it drugs which she took from different boxes, and 
 made a cake, and she put the cake into a baking pan, and placed 
 it upon burning coals. While the cake was baking she put up 
 the vessels and boxes in their places, and on her saying certain 
 words the stream of water disappeared. When the cake was 
 baked, she took it off the coals and, carrying it with her, left the 
 
97 
 
 chamber. King Beder, as soon as he got up, expressed a great 
 desire to go and see Abdallah, and begged the queen to permit 
 him to do so. " Go," said she, " you have my consent, but do 
 not be long away as I cannot live without you." 
 
 Old Abdallah was overjoyed to see King Beder. He embraced 
 him tenderly, and King Beder returned his embrace. As soon 
 as they sat down, Abdallah said to the king, " Well, how have 
 you passed your time with that wicked sorceress ? " "So far, ' ' 
 answered King Beder, " she has been very kind to me, but I 
 observed something last night which gives me reason to suspect 
 that all her kindness is but pretense. ' ' He then told Abdallah 
 what he had seen Queen Labe doing in his room, and he said, 
 " This makes me think she intends to keep none of her promises 
 to you, so I resolved to come to you immediately." " You are 
 not mistaken," replied old Abdallah; " but fear nothing. I 
 know how to make the mischief she intends for you fall upon 
 herself. It is now time she should be treated as she deserves." 
 
 So saying, Abdallah gave two cakes to King Beder, and said to 
 him, " Take these cakes and give one to the queen. She will 
 then give you a cake, but beware of eating it. Pretend that you 
 eat of it, but eat of this instead. If you eat even one grain of 
 her cake, her enchantment will have power over you, and she 
 will change you into a beast saying, 'Quit this human form.' 
 But if you do not eat of it, her enchantment will have no power 
 over you, and she can do you no harm. Then ask her to eat of 
 your cake, and when she eats even one grain, you will have 
 power over her. Take some water in your hand and throw it in 
 her face and say to her, ' Quit this human form, ' and tell her to 
 take any form you please. Then leave her and come to me, and 
 I will tell you what next to do. ' ' 
 
 King Beder, after thanking Abdallah in the warmest words, 
 returned to the palace. Upon his arrival he was told that the 
 queen waited for him with great impatience in the garden. 
 He went at once into the garden, and as soon as. she saw him 
 she came in great haste to meet him. " My dear Beder," said 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 7 
 
98 
 
 she, " it 'seems ages that I have been separated from you. If 
 you had stayed ever so little longer I would have come to fetch 
 you." " Madam," replied King Beder, " I assure you I was 
 no less impatient to be with you, but I could not refuse to stay 
 for a little while with an uncle who loves me. Of all the good 
 things he prepared for me, I have brought away only this cake 
 which I wish your Majesty to accept." King Beder, having 
 taken out one of the cakes which he had wrapped in a handker- 
 chief, presented it to the queen, saying, " I beg your Highness to 
 accept of it. " " I do accept it with all my heart," replied the 
 queen, " but before I taste of it I wish you first to eat a piece 
 of this, which I made for you during your absence." " Fair 
 queen," answered King Beder, receiving it with great respect, 
 " I cannot sufficiently thank you for the favor you do me." 
 
 King Beder then quickly put in the place of the queen's cake 
 the other which old Abdallah had given him, and breaking off a 
 piece and eating it, he cried, "Ah ! queen, I never tasted any- 
 thing so excellent in my life. ' ' The queen, seeing him swallow 
 one bit of the cake and ready to eat another, took in the palm 
 of her hand a little water from a fountain which was near by, and 
 throwing it in the king's face said, " Slave, quit the form of a 
 man and take that of a horse, blind and lame." 
 
 But these words had no effect, as King Beder had not eaten of 
 the queen's cake, and so he still remained in the form of a man. 
 Queen Labe was surprised and disappointed, but she pretended 
 that she meant no harm to King Beder. " Dear Beder," cried 
 she, " this is nothing. I did not intend you any harm; I did 
 it only to see what you would say. I should be the worst of 
 women if I attempted so evil a deed, after all the promises I 
 have made for your safety." " Great queen," replied King 
 Beder, " I am sure that what you did was only to amuse yourself. 
 But, madam, let us forget this matter; and now as I have eaten 
 of your cake, will you do me the favor to taste mine ? ' ' 
 
 Queen Labe broke off a piece of the cake and ate it. Imme- 
 diately she appeared much troubled, and remained motionless. 
 
99 
 
 King Beder lost no time but took water out of the fountain, and 
 throwing it in her face, cried, " Wicked queen ! quit the form 
 of a woman, and be turned instantly into a mule. ' ' The same 
 moment Queen Labe was changed into a mule, and her grief was 
 so great to find herself in that condition that she shed tears in 
 abundance, and bowed her head to the feet of King Beder, think- 
 ing to move him to pity. The king, however, led her into the 
 stable belonging to the palace, and put her into the hands of a 
 groom, to be bridled and saddled, but of all the bridles which the 
 groom tried upon her, not one would fit. This surprised King 
 Beder, so he led the mule to Abdallah's, and told the old man 
 all that had happened. Abdallah bridled the mule himself with a 
 bridle he had in his house, and then he said to the king, " Prince, 
 you have no reason to stay any longer in this city; mount the 
 mule and return to your kingdom. I have but one thing more 
 to recommend to you, and that is, if you should ever happen to 
 part with the mule, be sure not to give up the bridle. ' ' King 
 Beder promised to remember this, and having taken leave of the 
 good old man, he departed. 
 
 The king of Persia rode on for three days, when he arrived at 
 a great city, and entering the suburbs, he met a venerable old 
 man. " Sir," said the old man, stopping him, " may I ask 
 from what part of the world you come ? ' ' The king halted to 
 answer him, and as they were talking an old woman came up, 
 and stopping, she wept and sighed at the sight of the mule. 
 
 King Beder and the old man left off talking to look at the old 
 woman, and the king asked her why she was in so much grief. 
 "Alas ! sir," she replied, "it is because your mule resembles so 
 much one my son had, the loss of which I mourn on his 
 account. Sell this one to me, I beseech you; I will give you 
 more than it is worth, and thank you, too.. " " Good woman, ' ' 
 replied King Beder, " I cannot comply with your request. 
 My mule is not to be sold, but if it were, I believe you would 
 hardly give a thousand pieces of gold for it, and I could not 
 sell it for less." "Why should I not give that?" replied 
 
IOO 
 
 the old woman; " if it be the lowest price, you need only to say 
 yo\i will take it, and I will fetch you the money. ' ' 
 
 King Beder, seeing the old woman so poorly dressed, could 
 not think she could find such a sum, and said, to try her, " Go, 
 fetch me the money, and the mule is yours." The old woman 
 immediately opened a purse which hung from her girdle, and 
 took out a thousand pieces of gold. 
 
 The surprise of King Beder, at the sight of the gold, was very 
 great. ' ' Good woman, ' ' said he, ' ' do you not see I have been 
 joking you all this while ? I assure you my mule is not to be 
 sold." The old man, who had been witness to all that had 
 passed, now began to speak. " Son," said he to King Beder, 
 " it is necessary you should know one thing, and that is that in 
 this city no one is permitted on any account whatever to deceive 
 another. Any one who does so is put to death. You cannot 
 refuse taking this woman's money and giving her the mule when 
 she pays you the sum according to agreement. ' ' 
 
 King Beder was vexed to find himself thus entrapped by his rash 
 offer, but he dismounted, and gave the mule to the old woman. 
 She immediately seized the reins and unbridled the mule. 
 Then, taking some water in her hand from a stream that ran in 
 the middle of the street, she threw it in the mule's. face, uttering 
 these words: " Daughter, take again thine own form." Instantly 
 Queen Labe was in her own form, and the old woman, who was 
 in reality the queen's mother, embraced her daughter with joy. 
 The old woman then uttered a loud whistle, and in a moment a 
 gigantic genie appeared. This genie immediately took King 
 Beder on one shoulder, and the old woman with the magic queen 
 on the other, and carried them in a few minutes to the palace of 
 Queen Labe in the City of Enchantments. 
 
 Here the magic queen began at once. to abuse King Beder. 
 " Is it thus," said she, " that you and your unworthy uncle repay 
 all the kindness I have done you ? I shall punish you both as 
 you deserve." Then, taking water in her hand, she threw it in 
 his face, with these words : " Quit the form of a man, and take 
 
IOI 
 
 that of an owl. ' ' Immediately the king became an owl, and the 
 wicked queen commanded one of her women to shut him up in 
 a cage and give him neither meat nor drink. 
 
 The woman took the cage, but having pity on the bird, she 
 gave him both meat and drink. Then she went to old Abdallah 
 and told him how the queen had treated his nephew, and Ab- 
 dallah, after thanking her, said, " I must take the city from this 
 queen and make you queen in her stead. ' ' He then uttered a 
 loud whistle, and there immediately arose a genie with four 
 wings, who presented himself before Abdallah and asked 
 what he would have. " Genie," said Abdallah, " I command 
 you to preserve the life of King Beder, son of Queen Gulnare. 
 Carry this woman who has the care of the cage to the capital of 
 Persia, that she may inform Queen Gulnare of the danger her son 
 is in and the need he has of her assistance. ' ' The genie im- 
 mediately lifted the woman up into the air, carried her to the 
 capital of Persia, and placed her on the terrace of Gulnare's 
 palace. She at once entered the palace and there found Queen 
 Gulnare, and Queen Fareshah, her mother, lamenting about King 
 Beder. When she told them where he was they greatly rejoiced, 
 and Queen Gulnare, calling her brother Saleh speedily from the 
 sea, said to him, " Brother, the king, your nephew, my dear son, 
 is in the City of Enchantments, under the power of Queen Labe. 
 We must go to deliver him, and there is no time to be lost." 
 
 King Saleh immediately gathered an army of his troops, who 
 rose out of the sea. He also called to his assistance the genies, 
 who appeared with an army far greater than his own. As soon 
 as the two armies were joined, he put himself at the head of 
 them, with Queen Fareshah, Queen Gulnare, and the princesses, 
 who all wished to take part in freeing King Beder. They then 
 ascended into the air, and soon poured down on the palace and 
 City of Enchantments, where they killed the magic queen and 
 her mother. 
 
 Queen Gulnare now bade Queen Labe's attendant to fetch 
 the cage in which her son was, and when it was brought to her 
 
IO2 
 
 she opened it, and took out the owl, saying, as she sprinkled a lit- 
 tle water upon him, " My dear son, quit that form and take thy 
 natural one of a man. " In a moment Queen Gulnare, instead of 
 the owl, saw King Beder, her son. She embraced him with joy, 
 and the king his uncle and all his relations did the same. 
 
 Queen Gulnare 's next care was to send for old Abdallah, and 
 when he came she thanked him for his kindness to her son. She 
 also made him king of the City of Enchantments, and gave him 
 Queen Labe's lady attendant to be his wife. Then King Beder 
 said to his mother, " Madam, I am heartily glad of this match 
 which your Majesty has just made. There remains one more 
 which I wish you to think of." Queen Gulnare did not at first 
 think what marriage he meant, but after a little she said, " Of 
 your own marriage you mean, son ? I consent to it with all 
 my heart. ' ' Then, turnftig and looking at her brother's sea attend- 
 ants and' the genies who were still present, she said, " Go and 
 traverse both sea and land, to seek the most lovely princess 
 worthy of the king my son, and when you have found her come 
 and tell us." " Madam," said King Beder, " it is not necessary 
 for them to take all that trouble. You have no doubt heard that 
 I have already given my heart to the princess of Samandal. 
 Neither earth nor sea, in my opinion, can furnish a princess like 
 her. It is true that upon declaring my love she treated me 
 cruelly. But I hold her excused, for she could not treat me 
 otherwise after my uncle imprisoning the king her father, of 
 which I was the cause. But the king of Samandal may be re- 
 stored to his kingdom, and may consent to my marriage with the 
 princess his daughter, if she will declare her love to me." 
 " Son," replied Queen Gulnare, " if the Princess Joharah can 
 make you happy, I will not oppose you. The king your uncle 
 can have the king of Samandal brought here, and we shall see 
 whether his mind is changed." 
 
 King Saleh then caused a dish of coals to be brought, and into 
 it he threw a certain composition, uttering at the same time some 
 mysterious words. As soon as the smoke began to rise, the 
 
103 
 
 palace shook, and immediately the king of Samandal, with King 
 Saleh's officers, appeared. The king of Persia cast himself at the 
 king of Samandal' s feet, and begged of him his daughter in 
 marriage. The king of Samandal now consented, and ordered 
 some of his attendants to go for the princess and bring her to him 
 immediately. So they flew through the air and were absent a 
 little while, after which they came back accompanied by the 
 Princess Joharah. 
 
 On her arrival, the king of Samandal embraced her and said, 
 " Daughter, I have provided a husband for you; it is the king 
 of Persia, the greatest monarch at present in the world." 
 " Sir," replied the princess, " you well know that I am always 
 ready to obey you. I hope the king of Persia will forget my ill- 
 treatment of him, and consider it was duty, not inclination, that 
 forced me to it." 
 
 The marriage was celebrated in the palace of the City of En- 
 chantments, and was attended by all the princes and princesses 
 whom the magic queen had changed into animals, for all those 
 princes and princesses were now restored to their proper forms. 
 King Saleh conducted the king of Samandal to his capital, and 
 put him again in possession of his throne. King Beder returned 
 to his own capital with his queen and his mother. They were 
 accompanied by Queen Fareshah and the princesses, who re- 
 mained with the king and queen of Persia till King Saleh came 
 to bring them home to his kingdom under the waves of the sea. 
 
 STORY OF THE THREE SISTERS. 
 
 There was once a sultan of Persia named Khoonooshah. He 
 often walked in disguise through the city in which he lived, ac- 
 companied by his vizier, and they sometimes met with strange 
 adventures. One evening they were passing through a street in 
 that part of the town inhabited only by poor people, when they 
 heard some persons talking very loud. Going close to the house 
 
104 
 
 from which the sound of voices came, they saw a light, and look- 
 ing through the window they saw three young women sitting on 
 a sofa conversing together. 
 
 Now these three young women were sisters, and they were 
 telling one another what they would wish for if they could get 
 their wishes. The eldest sister wished that she had the sultan's 
 baker for her husband, " for then," said she, " I could eat my 
 fill of the best bread. ' ' The second sister wished that she was 
 the wife of the sultan's chief cook, " for then," said she, " I 
 could eat my fill of all the best dishes, and have the best bread 
 too." The youngest sister, who was very beautiful, and had 
 more intelligence than the two elder, then spoke. " For my 
 part, ' ' said she, ' ' I shall not wish for such trifles, but for some- 
 thing higher and better. Since we are upon wishing, I wish I 
 was the sultan's wife, and then I should have everything I 
 wanted. ' ' 
 
 The wishes of the three sisters, particularly that of the youngest, 
 very much amused the sultan, who heard what the sisters had 
 said, and he resolved that their desires should be gratified, but 
 he did not tell this to his vizier. He ordered him, however, to 
 bring the three sisters before him the following day. 
 
 The vizier accordingly brought the three sisters next morning, 
 and presented them to the sultan, who said to them, " Do you 
 remember the wishes you expressed last night, when you were 
 all in so pleasant a mood ? Speak the truth ; I must hear from 
 you what they were." At these words the three sisters were 
 much troubled. They cast down their eyes and blushed, fearing 
 they had offended the sultan by their conversation. The sultan 
 seeing their confusion said, to encourage them, "Fear nothing; I 
 did not send for you to distress you, and as I already know of 
 your wishes, I will relieve you of your fears. You who wished 
 to be my^wife shall have your desire this day; and you," con- 
 tinued he, addressing the two elder sisters, " shall be married to 
 my chief baker and cook." 
 
 The marriages all took place that day, as the sultan had re- 
 
105 
 
 solved, but in a very different manner. The youngest sister's 
 wedding was celebrated with all the rejoicings usual at the mar- 
 riages of the sultans of Persia, and those of the other two 
 sisters, according to the positions of their husbands, the one as 
 the sultan's chief baker and the other as head cook. 
 
 Now, though the two elder sisters got what they had wished 
 for, they soon began to be jealous of their younger sister because 
 she was queen, and they resolved to do something against her '. 
 while pretending friendship and affection. And so, when the 
 queen gave birth to a son, about a year after her marriage, the 
 two sisters, who were attending her, took the infant, wrapped 
 him up in a basket, and floated it away on a canal that ran near 
 th^jjalace. Then they told the sultan that it was a little dog the 
 queen had instead of a baby, and this made the sultan angry with 
 the queen. 
 
 In the mean time, the basket in which the little prince was ex- 
 posed was carried by the stream towards the garden of the palace. 
 By chance, the superintendent of the sultan's gardens, one of 
 the principal officers of the kingdom, was walking at the time by 
 the side of this canal. Seeing a basket floating, he called to a 
 gardener to bring it to shore, that he might find what it con- 
 tained. The gardener, with a rake which he had in his hand, 
 drew the basket to the side of the canal, took it up, and gave it 
 to the superintendent, who was surprised at finding the child. 
 
 Now the superintendent had been married several years, but 
 though he had always wished to have children, Heaven had never 
 blessed him with any. He therefore made the gardener follow 
 him with the child, and when he came to his own house, which 
 was at the entrance to the gardens of the palace, he went into his 
 wife's apartment and said to her, " Wife, as we have no children 
 of our own, God has sent us one. I recommend him to you, and 
 wish you to take as much care of him as if he were our own son, 
 for, from this moment, I adopt him as such." The superin- 
 tendent's wife received the child with great joy. 
 
 The following year the queen had another son, and the sisters 
 
 -^ 
 
io6 
 
 exposed him also in a basket, and set him afloat in the canal, 
 saying that it was a cat. It was happy also for this child that 
 the superintendent of the gardens was walking by the canal, for 
 he had the infant carried to his wife, and ordered her to take as 
 much care of it as of the former, which she was very happy to 
 do. Next year the queen gave birth to a princess, and she met 
 with the same fate as her brothers. The two wicked sisters put the 
 princess also in a basket on the canal, and they said it was a log 
 of wood and not a baby. Again the superintendent saw the 
 basket, found the child, anoVfook it to his wife, who received it 
 with pleasure. I But now the sultan Khoonooshah was so angry 
 that he ordered the queen to be seized and put in prison. The 
 queen, however, was very patient. She made no complaint, and 
 all the people had great pity and admiration for hex? 
 
 The two princes and the princess were, in the mean time, 
 nursed and brought up by the superintendent of the gardens and 
 his wife, with all the tenderness of a father and mother. The 
 name of the eldest prince was.Bahman, the second was called 
 . Perviz, both of them names of ancient emperors of Persia, 
 and the princess was called Pgriezadeh, which name had been 
 borne by several queens and princesses of the kingdom. As soon 
 as they were old enough, the superintendent got the best teachers 
 to instruct them, and they learned everything that it was proper 
 for them to know. They learned to sing and to play upon several 
 sorts of musical instruments. They were very clever, and by 
 their great dignity of manner showed that they were of high birth. 
 When the princes were learning to ride, the princess would not 
 let them have that advantage over her, but went through all the 
 exercises with them. She also learned to use the bow and arrows 
 and other weapons, and in hunting, racing, and other contests 
 she often outdid her brothers. 
 
 The superintendent of the gardens was overjoyed to find his 
 adopted children so well worthy of all he did for them, and he 
 resolved to do still more. Till then he had been content with 
 his lodge at the entrance to the sultan's garden, but now he pur- 
 
chased a fine house in the country, at a short distance from the 
 city. It was magnificently furnished, for the superintendent was 
 a rich man. It was surrounded by meadows and woods and 
 beautiful gardens, and near it was a large park, stocked with 
 deer, so that the princes could go a-hunting when they pleased. 
 
 When this house was finished the superintendent resigned his 
 office under the sultan, and went to the new place to live with 
 his adopted children. His wife had been dead for some years, 
 and he himself was not more than six months in his country 
 house when he took ill and died. His death was so sudden that 
 he had not time to tell the young princes and the princess the 
 story of how he had saved them in their infancy; so they believed 
 that the superintendent was their father, and they very much 
 lamented his death. They gave him a magnificent funeral, and 
 afterwards they lived in great happiness together in the fine house 
 which he left them, with a large fortune to supply all their wants. 
 
 One day when the two princes were hunting, and the princess 
 had remained at home, an old woman came to the gate, and 
 asked leave to go in to say her prayers, it being then the hour 
 for prayer. The servants asked the princess's permission, and 
 she ordered them to show her into the oratory. After the good 
 woman had finished her prayers, she was brought before the 
 princess, in the- great hall, which in beauty and richness exceeded 
 all the other apartments. They talked about many things and at 
 last the princess asked the old woman what she thought of the 
 house and how she liked it. AX*' 
 
 " Madam," answered the woman, " if you will give me leave 
 to speak my mind freely, I will take the liberty to tell you that 
 this house would be perfect if it had three things which are wanting 
 to complete it. The first of these three things is the speaking 
 bird, a creature that draws round it all the singing birds of the 
 neighborhood, which come to accompany its song. The second 
 is the _singing__tree, the leaves of which are all mouths, that 
 form a.' concert of different voices, and never cease. The 
 third is. thejvvater of golden yellow hue, a single drop of which 
 
io8 
 
 when poured into a vessel properly prepared, increases so as tc 
 r fill it immediately, and rises up in the middle like a fountain, 
 which continually plays, and yet the vessel never overflows. ' ' 
 
 "My good mother," cried the princess, "I am much obliged to 
 you for telling me of these curiosities. They are surprising. I 
 never before heard there were such wonderful things in the 
 world, and as I am sure that you know, I expect you will do me 
 
 the favor to inform me where they are to be found. ' ' 
 
 * 
 
 " Madam," replied the woman, " I am glad to tell you that 
 these curiosities are all in the same spot on the borders of this 
 kingdom, towards India. The road lies before your house, and 
 the person you send has only to follow it for twenty days. On 
 the twentieth day let him ask the first person he meets where the 
 speaking bird, the singing tree, and the yellow water are, and he 
 will be informed." After saying this the old woman rose from 
 her seat, took her leave, and went away. 
 
 The Princess Periezadeh's thoughts were so taken up with the 
 desire to obtain these three wonders, that her brothers, on their 
 return from hunting, instead of finding her lively and gay, as she 
 used to be, were surprised to see her melancholy and troubled. 
 " Sister," said Prince Bahman, " what has become of all your 
 mirth and gaiety ? Are you unwell, or has some misfortune hap- 
 pened to you ? Tell us, that we may give you relief. ' ' 
 
 The princess at first returned no answer to these inquiries, 
 but being pressed by her brothers she replied, " I always be- 
 lieved that this house, which our father built for us, was so com- 
 plete that nothing was wanting. But to-day I have learned that 
 it wants three rarities, the speaking bird, the singing tree, and 
 the yellow water. If it had these, no country house in the world 
 could be compared with it. ' ' Then she told her brothers what the 
 old woman said, and she begged them to send some trustworthy 
 person in search of the three curiosities. " Sister," replied 
 Prince Bahman, "it is enough that you have a desire for the 
 things you mention. You shall have them. I will take that 
 charge upon myself. Only tell me the place, and the way to it, 
 
109 
 
 and I will set out to-morrow. You, brother, shall stay at home 
 with our sister until I return. ' ' 
 
 Prince Bahman spent the remainder of the day in making pre- 
 parations for his journey, and learning from the princess of the 
 directions which the woman had left her. The next morning 
 he mounted his horse, and Perviz and the princess embraced him 
 and wished him a good journey. But just before starting,~Prince 
 Bahman said to the princess, ' ' Sister, as I may fail in my under- 
 taking, and as some accident may happen to me, I leave you this 
 knife. It is a very wonderful knife, and by it you may know 
 whether I am dead or alive. If it be clean and bright, as it is 
 now, whenever you pull it out of its sheath, that will be a sign that 
 I am alive, but if it be stained with blood, you may be sure that 
 I am dead. ' ' He then bade farewell to his brother and sister 
 and rode away. 
 
 When he got into the road, Prince Bahman never turned to the 
 right hand nor to the left, but went directly forward towards India. 
 On the twentieth day he saw a very strange looking old man sitting 
 under a tree some distance from a thatched house. His eye- 
 brows were as white as snow, and his beard was so long as to 
 cover his mouth and reach down to the ground. The nails of 
 his hands and feet were very long, a flat, broad umbrella covered 
 his head, and he wore no clothes but a mat thrown around his 
 body. This old man was a dervise, who had retired from the 
 world to spend the rest of his life in prayer. 
 
 Prince Bahman had been all the morning expecting to meet 
 some one who could give him information of the place he was in 
 search of; so he stopped when he came near the dervise, and, 
 dismounting from his horse, walked up to him and said, " Good 
 dervise, I am in search of the speaking bird, the singing tree, and 
 the yellow water. I know they are not far from here, but can- 
 not tell exactly the place where they are to be found. If you 
 know, I beg you to show me the way, that I may not lose my 
 labor after so long a journey." The prince, while he spoke, 
 noticed that the dervise changed color, held down his eyes, 
 
HO 
 
 looked very serious, and, instead of making any reply, remained 
 silent. This compelled the prince to speak again, and so he 
 said, " Good father, tell me whether you know what I ask you, 
 that I may not lose time but ask some one else. ' ' At last the 
 dervise broke silence. " Sir," said he to Prince Bahman, " I 
 know the way you inquire about, but the danger of going is 
 greater than you think. A number of gentlemen brave as your- 
 self have passed this way, and asked me the same question. I 
 assure you they have all lost their lives, for I have not seen one 
 come back. Therefore, take my advice, go no farther, but return 
 home." " Nothing," replied Prince Bahman, " shall make me 
 change my intention. Whoever may attack me, I am not afraid, 
 and I am well armed." " But they who will attack you are not 
 to be seen," said the dervise, " how will you defend yourself 
 against invisible enemies ? " " It is no matter," answered the 
 prince, " all you can say shall not prevent me from going, and 
 as you know the way, I once more beg you to tell me." 
 
 When the dervise found he could not get Prince Bahman to give 
 up his journey, he put his hand into a bag that lay by him, 
 pulled out a bowl, and gave it to the prince. " Since you will ; 
 not be led by my advice," said he, " take this bowl, and when 
 you mount your horse, throw it before you. It will go on of ' 
 itself until it comes to the foot of a mountain, where it will stop. 
 You must follow it, and when it stops, dismount and go up the 
 mountain. Leave your horse with the bridle over his neck, and 
 he will wait till you return. As you go up the mountain you will 
 see on your right and left a great number of large black stones, 
 and you will hear on all sides voices threatening you and trying 
 to prevent you from reaching the top of the mountain. But do 
 not turn your head to look behind you, for if you do you will be ,' 
 changed that moment into a black stone like those you will see, < 
 which are all youths who have failed in this enterprise. If you ( 
 escape this danger and get to the top of the mountain, you will 
 see a cage, and in that cage is the bird you seek. Ask the bird 
 where the singing tree and the yellow water are, and he will tell 
 
Ill 
 
 you. I have nothing more to say, except to beg you again not 
 to expose your life, for the danger is very great. ' ' 
 
 After these words, the prince mounted his horse, took his*leave 
 of the dervise with a respectful salute, and threw the bowl before 
 him. The bowl rolled away, and rolled so fast that Prince 
 Bahman was obliged to put his horse to a gallop to avoid losing 
 sight of it. When it reached the foot of the mountain it stopped. 
 The prince then alighted from his horse, laid the bridle on his 
 neck, and having first gazed for a moment or two at the moun- 
 tain, and seen the black stones, he began to ascend. He had 
 not gone four steps when he heard the voices, though he could 
 see nobody. Some said, ' ' Where is he going ? " " What would 
 he have ? " " Do not let him pass; " others said, " Stop 
 him ! " " Catch him ! ' ' and others with a voice like thunder, 
 shouted, " Thief ! " " Assassin ! " " Murderer ! " while 
 some in a mocking tone cried, " No, no, do not hurt him, let the 
 pretty fellow pass; the cage and bird are kept for him." 
 
 In spite of all these voices Prince Bahman went on with courage 
 for some time, but the voices soon made so loud a din near him 
 behind, before, and on all sides, that he became terrified. 
 His legs trembled under him, he staggered, and finding that his 
 strength failed him, he forgot the dervise's advice, and turned 
 about to run down the hill. That instant he was changed into 
 a black stone. His horse was also changed into a black stone at 
 the same moment. 
 
 From the time of Prince Bahman' s departure, the Princess 
 Periezadeh always wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and 
 pulled it out several times a day, to know whether her brother 
 was yet alive. On the day the prince was changed into a stone, 
 the princess and her brother Perviz were talking together in the 
 evening, as usual, and Perviz asked his sister to pull out the knife 
 to know how their brother was. The princess did so, and seeing 
 blood run down the point she threw the knife upon the floor, 
 crying out, ' ' Ah ! my dear brother, wretched am I ! I have been 
 the cause of your death, and shall never see you more ! Why 
 
112 
 
 did I tell you of the speaking bird, the singing tree, and yellow 
 water ! Why did I allow my peace to be disturbed by the idle 
 tales of a silly old woman ! " 
 
 Prince Perviz was as much grieved at the death of Prince Bah- 
 man as the princess, but as he knew that she still desired to get 
 the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water, he in- 
 terrupted her, saying, " Sister, our regret for our brother is use- 
 less; our grief and tears cannot bring him back to life; it is the 
 will of God; we must submit to it. But why should you now 
 doubt what the holy woman told you ? Our brother's death is 
 probably owing to some mistake on his part. I am resolved to 
 know the truth, and to-morrow I shall set out." 
 
 The princess did all she could to prevent Prince Perviz from 
 going. She begged him not to expose her to the danger of 
 losing two brothers, but all she could say had no effect upon him. 
 Before he went, he_left_her_a^tring Qljjjiiindred pearls, telling / 
 her that if they would not run when she should count them upon / 
 the string, but remain fixed, that would be a certain sign that he/ 
 had met the same fate as his brother. At the same time he tol<^ 
 her he hoped it would not be so, but that he should have the 
 happiness to see her again. He then set out. 
 
 On the twentieth day after his departure, he met the same der- 
 vise in the same place as his brother Bahman had before him, and 
 asked him the same question. The dervise gave him the same 
 answer and the same advice as he had to Prince Bahman. He 
 also told him that a young gentleman, very like him, was there a 
 short time before, and had not yet returned. " Good dervise," 
 answered Prince Perviz, " I know of whom you speak; he was my 
 elder brother, and I am informed of his death, but know not the 
 cause." " I can tell you," replied the dervise, " he was 
 changed into a black stone, as all the others have been, and you 
 must expect the same fate, unless you follow the directions I 
 gave him, but I once more entreat you to give up your resolu- 
 tion. " " Dervise," said Prince Perviz, " I am obliged to you 
 for your kind caution, but I cannot now give up this enterprise; 
 
therefore I beg you to do me the same favor you have done my 
 brother. ' ' The dervise then gave the prince a bowl, with the 
 same instructions he had given to his brother, and so let him 
 depart. 
 
 Prince Perviz mounted, threw the bowl before his horse, and 
 followed it. When the bowl came to the foot of the hill it 
 stopped. Then the prince alighted and began to walk up with a 
 determination to reach the top. But before he had gone six 
 steps, he heard a voice, as of a man behind him, say in a rough 
 tone, " Stay, rash youth, that I may punish you for your pre- 
 sumption." 
 
 Taking this as an insult the prince, forgetting the dervise 's ad- 
 vice, clapped his hand upon his sword, and turned about to face 
 the enemy, as he thought. The moment he turned he and his 
 horse were changed into black stones. 
 
 In the mean time, the Princess Periezadeh, several times a day 
 after her brother's departure, counted her string of pearls. She 
 did not omit it at night, but put it about her neck when she went 
 to bed, and in the morning, when she awoke, she counted over 
 the pearls again to see if they would slide. The day that Prince 
 Perviz was changed into a stone she was counting over the 
 pearls as she used to do, when all at once they became fixed and 
 would not move. This was a certain sign that her brother was 
 dead. As she had decided what to do in case it should so hap- 
 pen, she lost no time in giving way to grief, but proceeded at 
 once to carry out her plan. She dressed herself in a suit of her 
 brother's clothes, and procuring arms she mounted her horse, and, 
 telling her servants that she should return in two or three days, 
 took the same road her brothers had taken. 
 
 On the twentieth day she also met the dervise, and asked him 
 the same question, and she received from him the same answer 
 and the same advice her brothers had received. ( Like them, also, 
 she resolved to make the attempt to go up the mountain. But 
 before starting she procured some cotton which she thought would 
 be of use to her.J Then she mounted her horse, threw down the 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 8 
 
114 
 
 bowl which the dervise had given her, and followed it till it 
 ' stopped at the foot of the mountain. The princess immediately 
 alighted, and stuffing her ears with the cotton she began to ascend. 
 She heard the voices, but on account of the cotton in her ears 
 the noise did not disturb her very much. She also heard insult- 
 ing words, but she only laughed at them. On she went till at 
 last she caught sight of a cage with a bird in it. Encouraged by 
 seeing the object she was in search of, the princess redoubled her 
 speed, and soon reached the top of the mountain, where the 
 ground was level. Then running directly to the cage, and clap- 
 ping her hand upon it, she cried, " Bird, I have you, and you 
 shall not escape me." At the same moment the voices ceased. 
 
 While Periezadeh was pulling the cotton out of her ears, the 
 bird said to her, " Heroic princess, since I am to be a slave, I 
 would rather be yours than any other person's, you have obtained 
 me so courageously. From this instant I shall pay entire obedi- 
 ence to all your commands. I know who you are, for you are 
 not what you seem, and I will one day tell you more. In the 
 mean time, command what you wish, and I am ready to obey 
 you. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Bird, ' ' said Periezadeh, ' ' I have been told that not far off 
 there is golden water, which is very wonderful. I ask you to 
 tell me where it is. ' ' The bird showed her the place, which was 
 just by, and she went and filled a little silver flask which she had 
 brought with her. She then returned to the bird, and said, 
 " Bird, this is not enough; I want also the singing tree. Tell 
 me where it is." " Turn about," said the bird, " and you will 
 see behind you a wood, where you will find this tree. Break off 
 a branch, and carry it home to plant in your garden. It will 
 take root as soon as it is put into the earth, and in a little time 
 will grow to a fine tree." The princess went into the wood, 
 and by the music she heard, soon discovered the singing tree. 
 She broke off a branch, and, taking it with her, returned again to 
 the bird, and said, " Bird, what you have done for me is not 
 sufficient. My two brothers in their search for you have been 
 
Drawn by R. B. Birch. 
 
 THE PRINCESS SPRINKLES THE STONES. , 
 
u6 
 
 changed into black stones on the side of the mountain. Tell 
 me how I may disenchant them. ' ' 
 
 The bird seemed most unwilling to tell the princess this, but 
 at last he bade her sprinkle every stone on her way down the 
 mountain with a little of the golden water. She did so, and 
 every stone thus sprinkled at once took the shape of a man or of 
 a horse. In the crowd of young princes that immediately ap- 
 peared, the princess saw her two brothers, Bahman and Perviz. 
 She ran to them and embraced them with joy, and she told them 
 and the other princes everything she had done. Then they all 
 mounted their horses and rode back to the place where they had 
 seen the dervise. But they found that he was dead, whether of 
 old age, or because he was no longer required to show the way to 
 the three rarities, they did not know. The princes, headed by 
 Periezadeh, then continued their journey. Every day the num- 
 ber of the company lessened, for the youths, who had come 
 from different countries, took leave of the princess and her 
 brothers, one after another, as they approached the roads by 
 which they had come. 
 
 When the princess reached home, she placed the cage in the 
 garden, and as soon as the bird began to sing he was surrounded 
 by nightingales, chaffinches, larks, linnets, goldfinches, and every 
 species of bird of the country. She also planted the branch of 
 the singing tree, and it took root, and in a short time became a 
 large tree, the leaves of which gave forth music as sweet as that 
 of the tree on the mountain. A large basin of beautiful marble 
 was made in the garden, and the princess poured into it the yel- 
 low water from the flask. It instantly increased and swelled so 
 that it reached up to the edges of the basin, and afterwards 
 formed in the middle a fountain twenty feet high, which fell 
 again into the basin and continued so without running over. The 
 report of these wonders was quickly spread abroad, and as the 
 gates of the house and of the garden were open to everybody, a 
 great number of people came to see them. 
 
 Some days after their return home, the Princes Bahman and 
 
Perviz thought they would go hunting, which was their favorite 
 amusement. So they mounted their horses and went several 
 miles from their house, where many other horsemen were en- 
 k^/" gaged in the sport. Now it happened that the Sultan Khoo- 
 nooshah was hunting on the same day in the same place. He 
 soon noticed the two princes, and admiring their appearance and 
 manner, he rode up to them and asked them who they were and 
 where they lived. Prince Bahman answered, after bowing down 
 to the sultan, " Sire, we are the sons of the late superintendent 
 of your Majesty's gardens. We live in a house which he built a 
 little before he died." iT'see, " said the sultan, " you love- 
 hunting." " Sire," replied Prince Bahman, " it is our common 
 exercise, and what none of your Majesty's subjects who intend 
 to bear arms in your armies ought to neglect." The sultan, 
 much pleased with this answer, said, " It is so, and I should be 
 glad to see a trial of your expertness in the chase; choose your 
 own game. " The princes then followed the sultan, and they had 
 not gone far before they saw many wild beasts together. Prince 
 Bahman chose a lion, and Prince Perviz a bear. Then, starting 
 off in pursuit, they hunted the beasts with so much courage that 
 the sultan was surprised. They both came up with their game 
 nearly at the same time, and darted their spears with so much skill 
 that they pierced, the one the lion, and the other the bear, so 
 that the sultan saw the animals fall one after the other. Imme- 
 diately afterwards Prince Bahman pursued another bear, and 
 Prince Perviz another lion, and killed them in a short time. The 
 sultan was now so pleased with the conduct of the two princes 
 that he invited them to visit him at his palace. To this invita- 
 tion Prince Bahman replied, " Your Majesty does us an honor 
 we do not deserve. But we have a sister younger than ourselves, 
 with whom we live in such perfect union that we undertake 
 nothing without consulting her, and she does nothing without 
 asking our advice." "I admire your brotherly affection," an- 
 swered the sultan. "Consult your sister. Meet me here to-mor- 
 row, and give me an answer." 
 
118 
 
 The princess was surprised when her brothers, on their return, 
 told her of their meeting with the sultan, and of his invitation. 
 She proposed that they should immediately ask the advice of the 
 speaking bird, which was a very wise bird, and had promised to 
 assist them in all their difficulties. She then sent for the cage, 
 and, telling the bird about the sultan's invitation, she asked what 
 they ought to do. ' ' Princess, ' ' answered the bird, ' ' your brothers 
 must do according to the sultan's wishes, and then let them in- 
 vite him to come and visit them and you at your own house." 
 
 Next day the princes met the sultan as he had requested, and 
 they accompanied him to his palace. On the way he made 
 Bahman and Perviz ride one on each side of him, and treated 
 them with great respect and honor. As they entered the city 
 the people, who stood in crowds in the streets, gazed at the two 
 princes, admiring them and wondering who they were. The 
 sultan gave them a grand banquet, and when it was over, and the 
 time came for them to leave, Prince Bahman, addressing Khoo- 
 nooshah, said, "Sire, may we presume to request that you will 
 do us and our sister the honor to visit us the first time you are 
 hunting in that neighborhood ? Our house is not worthy your 
 presence, but kings have sometimes condescended to take shelter 
 in a cottage. " " My children, ' ' replied the sultan, ' ' your house 
 cannot be otherwise than beautiful, and worthy of its owners. I 
 will call and visit you with pleasure. Early in the morning I will 
 be at the place where I first saw you. Meet me, and you shall 
 be my guides. ' ' 
 
 When the Princes Bahman and Perviz returned home, they 
 gave the princess an account of their reception at the sultan's 
 palace, and told her that he would call at their house the 
 next day. "Then," said the princess, " we must prepare a 
 banquet fit for his Majesty, and for that purpose I think we 
 should consult the speaking bird. He will tell us perhaps what 
 meats the sultan likes best. ' ' The princes approved of her plan, 
 and after they had retired, she consulted the bird alone. 
 " Bird," said she, " the sultan will come to-morrow and see our 
 
119 
 
 house. Tell me what we must do to receive and entertain him 
 in a fitting manner. ' ' 
 
 " Good mistress," replied the bird, " you have excellent 
 cooks; let them do the best they can. But above all things, let 
 them prepare a dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, which 
 must be set before the sultarrftrsT of all the dishes." "Cucum- 
 bers stuffed full of pearls!" cried Princess Periezadeh with 
 amazement, " surely, bird, you do not know what you say. It 
 is an unheard-of dish; besides, all the pearls I have are not 
 enough for such a dish. " " Mistress," said the bird, " do what 
 I say; and as for the pearls, go early to-morrow morning to the 
 foot of the first tree on your right hand in the park, dig under 
 it, and you will find more than you want." 
 
 The princess immediately ordered a gardener to be ready to 
 attend her in the morning, and at daybreak she led him to the 
 tree of which the bird told her, and bade him dig at its foot. 
 The gardener did so, and when he came to a certain depth, he 
 found a gold box about a foot square, which he gave into the 
 princess's hands. As it was fastened only with neat little hasps, 
 she easily opened it, and found it full of pearls. Very well satis- 
 fied she shut the box, put it under her arm, and went back to the 
 house, while the gardener threw the earth into the hole at 
 the foot of the tree as it had been before. As she returned to 
 the house she met her two brothers, and told them of having con- 
 sulted the bird, of the answer he had given her to prepare a dish 
 of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, and how he had directed her 
 where to find the box. Though they could not guess the reason 
 of the bird ordering them to prepare such a dish, yet they 
 agreed to follow his advice exactly. 
 
 As soon as the princess entered the house, she called for the 
 head cook, and, after giving him directions about the dinner for 
 the sultan, said to him, " Besides all this, you must dress an ex- 
 traordinary dish to set before the sultan himself. This dish 
 must be of cucumbers stuffed with these pearls, ' ' and she opened 
 the box and showed him the pearls. The cook, who had never 
 
I2O 
 
 heard of such a dish, started back, and could make no reply, 
 but took the box and prepared to do as his mistress had ordered. 
 
 Next day the two princes went to the place appointed. As 
 soon as the sultan of Persia arrived, the hunt began, and it lasted 
 till the heat of the sun obliged him to leave off. While Prince 
 Bahman staid to conduct the sultan to their house, Prince Per- 
 viz rode before to inform the Princess Periezadeh that his Majesty 
 was approaching. When the sultan entered the courtyard, and 
 alighted at the portico, the princess came and threw herself at 
 his feet. The sultan stooped to raise her, and after he had gazed 
 some time on her beauty, he said, " The brothers are worthy 
 of the sister, and she is worthy of them. I am not surprised 
 that the brothers would do nothing without their sister's consent. ' ' 
 
 The princess then led the sultan through all the rooms of the 
 house except the hall, and after he had seen them, he expressed 
 his wonder and delight, saying, " My daughter, do you call this a 
 country house ? The finest and largest cities would soon be 
 deserted if all country houses were like yours. I am no longer 
 surprised that you take so much delight in it, and despise the 
 town. Now let me see the garden, which I am sure is answer- 
 able to the house." The princess opened a door which led into 
 the garden, and conducted him. to the spot where the singing 
 tree was. There the sultan heard music different from all he 
 had ever heard before. Stopping to find where the musicians 
 were, he could see nobody far or near, but still distinctly heard the 
 music, which delighted him beyond measure. " My daughter," 
 said he to the princess, " where are the musicians ? Are they 
 underground or invisible in the air ? Such excellent performers 
 will lose nothing by being seen; on the contrary, they would 
 please the more. ' ' 
 
 " Sire," answered the princess, smiling, " they are not 
 musicians, which make this music, but the leaves of the tree 
 your Majesty sees before you. If you will give yourself the 
 trouble to go a little nearer you will be convinced, for the voices 
 will be the more distinct. ' ' The sultan went nearer, and was so 
 
121 
 
 charmed with the sweet sounds that he could never have been 
 tired hearing them. " Daughter," said he, " tell me, I pray 
 you, whether this wonderful tree was found in your garden by 
 chance, or was a present made to you, or have you procured it 
 from some foreign country ? It must certainly have come from 
 a great distance, otherwise I should have heard of it. What 
 name do you call it by ? " " Sire," replied the princess, " this 
 tree has no other name than that of the singing tree, and' is not 
 a native of this country. Its history is connected with the yel- 
 low water and the speaking bird, which your Majesty will see 
 presently, and, if it please you, I will relate to you the story of 
 these rarities." 
 
 When the sultan came to the yellow water, his eyes were fixed 
 so steadfastly upon the fountain that he could not take them off 
 for a long time. Then they went towards the hall, and the sultan 
 heard a great number of singing birds in the trees around, filling 
 the air with their songs and warblings. He asked why there 
 were so many there, and none on the other trees in the garden. 
 
 " The reason, sire," answered the princess, " is that they 
 come from all parts to accompany the song of the speaking bird, 
 which your Majesty may see in a cage in one of the windows of 
 the hall we are approaching. If you attend, you will perceive 
 that his notes are sweeter than those of any of the other birds, 
 even the nightingale's." 
 
 The sultan went into the hall, and as the bird continued sing- 
 ing, the princess raised her voice, and said, " My slave, here is 
 the sultan; pay your compliments to him." The bird left off 
 singing that instant. At the same moment all the other birds 
 ceased. Then the speaking bird said, " God save the sultan. 
 Long may he live! " The banquet was served near the window 
 where the bird was placed, and the sultan replied, as he was 
 taking his seat, " Bird, I thank you; you are the sultan and king 
 of birds." 
 
 As soon as the sultan saw the dish of cucumbers set before 
 him, he reached out his hand and took one, but when he cut it 
 
122 
 
 he was greatly surprised to find it stuffed with pearls. " What 
 is this ? ' ' said he ; " and why are these cucumbers stuffed with 
 pearls, since pearls are not to be eaten ? ' ' He looked at the 
 princes and princess, expecting them to tell him the meaning 
 of the strange dish," but the bird, interrupting him, said, " Can , 
 your Majesty be in such great astonishment at cucumbers stuffed 
 with pearls, which you see with your own eyes, and yet so easily 
 believe that the queen, your wife, was the mother of a dog,, a cat, ;- 
 andapiece of wood ? " "I believed these things," replied the 
 
 ^_ 1 O I 
 
 sultan, "because the nurses told me so." 'Those nurses^ 
 sire," replied the bird, " were the queen's two sisters. They 5 
 were jealous of her happiness in being your wife and queen, and 
 through spite they told you those lies. If you question them, 
 / they must confess their crime. The two brothers and the sister 
 whom you see before you are your own children. Their cruel 
 aunts exposed them on the canal, hoping they would be drowned, 
 but they were saved by the superintendent of your gardens, who 
 adopted and brought them up as his own children. ' ' 
 
 " Bird," cried the sultan, " I believe what you tell me. The 
 inclination which drew me to them at first makes me certain that 
 they are my own kin. Come then, my sons, come, my daughter, 
 let me embrace you, and give you the first marks of a father's 
 love and tenderness." The sultan then rose, and after having 
 embraced the two princes and the princess, and mingled his 
 tears with theirs, he said, " It is not enough, my children; you 
 must embrace each other, not as the children of the superin- 
 tendent of my gardens, to whom I have been so much obliged 
 for preserving your lives, but as my own children of the royal 
 family of Persia, whose glory I am sure you will maintain." 
 After the princes and princess embraced one another, the sultan 
 sat down again with them, and finished his meal in haste. When 
 he had done he said, " My children you see in me your father; 
 to-morrow I will bring the queen your mother; therefore pre- 
 pare to receive her." 
 
 Soon afterwards he mounted his horse and returned to his 
 
123 
 
 capital. The first thing he did, as soon as he alighted and 
 entered his palace, was to command the grand vizier to seize the 
 queen's two sisters. They were taken from their houses sepa- 
 rately, and condemned and put to death. Then the Sultan 
 Khoonooshah, followed by all the lords of his court, went on 
 foot to the door of the great mosque, and after he had taken the 
 queen out of the prison in which she had suffered for so many 
 years, he embraced her and said to her, with tears in his eyes, " I 
 come to entreat your pardon for the injustice I have done you, and 
 to make you all the amends I can. I have punished your cruel 
 sisters who so wickedly deceived me, and I hope soon to present 
 to you two noble princes and a lovely princess, our children. 
 Come and take your former rank, and all the honors which are 
 your due." This was done and said before great crowds of 
 people, who nocked from all parts at the first news of what was 
 passing, and immediately spread the joyful intelligence through 
 the city. 
 
 Next morning early the sultan and the queen went with all 
 their court to the house built by the superintendent of the 
 gardens, where the sultan presented the Princes Bahman and 
 Perviz and the Princess Periezadeh to their rejoicing mother. 
 " These," said he, " are the two princes, your sons, and this 
 is the princess your daughter; they are worthy of both me and 
 you. ' ' The tears flowed plentifully down the cheeks of all, but es- 
 pecially of the queen, from her exceeding joy at having her chil- 
 dren restored to her, and having two such princes for her sons, 
 and such a princess for her daughter. 
 
 The Princes Bahman and Perviz and the Princess Periezadeh 
 were then brought in a grand procession to the palace of the 
 sultan, and nothing was seen or heard all the day or evening but 
 rejoicings and illuminations both in the palace and in all parts of 
 the city. And the rejoicings continued many days and ex- 
 tended throughout the empire of Persia. 
 
124 
 
 STORY OF ABOU HASSAN THE WAG, OR THE 
 SLEEPER AWAKENED. 
 
 There was, in the reign of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, a mer- 
 chant of Bagdad, and he had a son named Abou Hassan. This 
 merchant died, leaving to his son his vast wealth. Then Abou 
 Hassan divided his property into two equal portions, one of 
 which he laid aside, and the other he resolved to spend in 
 pleasure. He took as friends a number of merchants' sons and 
 others, and spent his time with them in enjoying himself, giving 
 grand suppers to his companions, until all the money he had for 
 this purpose was gone. 
 
 Then he discontinued his feasts, and as soon as he did so his 
 companions deserted him. Whenever they saw him they avoided 
 him, and if by chance he met any of them, and tried to stop 
 them, they always excused themselves on some pretense or 
 other. 
 
 Abou Hassan was very angry at this conduct of his friends, 
 and going to his mother and telling her about it, he said, 
 " Mother, I have found that none of my companions deserve 
 my friendship. I therefore give them up, and promise you I 
 will never keep their company any more." He resolved to be 
 as good as his word, and so he made a vow never to associate 
 with any of those whom he knew, but only with strangers, and 
 that he would not associate with any person for more than one 
 night. And so, every day, towards evening, he went and sat at 
 tha end of the bridge of Bagdad, and as soon as he saw a 
 stranger, he saluted him politely, and invited him to sup and 
 lodge with him that night. In the morning he sent the guest 
 away, and after that he would not notice him if he met him. 
 
 Thus he continued for a whole year, when one afternoon, a 
 little before sunset, as he sat upon the bridge according to 
 custom, the Caliph Haroun Alraschid came by; but he was so 
 disguised that Abou Hassan did not know him. He was dressed 
 like a merchant, and was followed by a tall, stout slave. Abou 
 
125 
 
 Hassan, who was looking out for a guest, rose up as he approached, 
 and, after saluting him in a polite manner, said, " Sir, I welcome 
 you to Bagdad. I beg you to do me the honor to take supper with 
 me, and lodge at my house for this night, after the fatigue of 
 your journey." He then told him about his custom of enter- 
 taining the first stranger he met with. The caliph was amused at 
 Abou Hassan's whim, and he wished to know the cause of it, so 
 he accepted the invitation. 
 
 Abou Hassan treated the caliph as his equal, conducted him 
 home, and led him into a room very neatly furnished, where 
 the cloth was laid, and the supper ready. Abou sat down opposite 
 his guest, and he and the caliph began to eat heartily of what 
 they liked best. When they had done eating, Abou Hassan's 
 mother cleared the table, and brought up dessert of all the various 
 sorts of fruits then in season, grapes, peaches, apples, pears, 
 and also several kinds of pastry. As soon as it grew dark, wax 
 candles were lighted, and Abou Hassan, after requesting his 
 mother to take care of the caliph's slave, set down 'bottles and 
 glasses. Abou Hassan filled a glass of wine, and holding it in 
 his hand, said to the caliph, " Now taste this wine, sir; I 
 think you will find it good." " I am sure of that," replied the 
 caliph, laughing; " you know how to choose the best." 
 
 The caliph and Abou Hassan remained together till the night 
 was pretty far advanced, when the caliph said, " I beg of you to 
 let me know how I may serve you, and you shall see I will not be 
 ungrateful. Though I am but a merchant, it may be in my power 
 to do you a favor, either myself, or through some friend. ' ' 
 Abou Hassan replied, " I thank you for your kindness, and as 
 you are so obliging, I must tell you there is one thing that annoys 
 me much. The imaum [minister] of the mosque in the dis- 
 trict in which I live, and four of his friends, try to be masters 
 over me and the whole neighborhood. Whenever they hear 
 music or any sport going on in a house, they get the people 
 fined, and worry them in every way. I should like to be caliph 
 but for one day, instead of our sovereign lord and master, 
 
126 
 
 Haroun Alraschid, Commander of the Faithful. I would punish 
 the imaum and his four friends with a hundred strokes each on 
 the soles of their feet, to teach them not to disturb and abuse 
 their neighbors in future." 
 
 The caliph was much amused at this idea of Abou Hassan's, 
 and while Abou was talking, he took the bottle and two glasses, 
 and filling his own first said, " Here is a cup of thanks to you." 
 Then filling the other, he put into it, unknown to Abou, a little 
 sleeping powder, which he had about him, and giving the glass 
 to Abou Hassan, said, ' ' I beg you to drink this for my sake. ' ' 
 Abou Hassan took the glass, and drank it off at once. Scarcely 
 had he. set the empty glass upon the table, when the powder 
 began to operate, and he fell into a sound sleep. The caliph 
 then commanded the slave who waited for him to take Abou 
 Hassan and carry him directly to the royal palace, and to un- 
 dress him and put him into his own state bed. This was 
 immediately done. 
 
 The caliph next sent for the grand vizier. " Giafar, " said he, 
 " I have sent for you to instruct you, and to prevent your being 
 surprised to-morrow when you come to the council chamber, at 
 seeing this man seated on my throne in the royal robes. I wish 
 you to address him with the same respect you pay to myself. 
 Do whatever he bids you do, the same as if I commanded you. 
 Tell all the lords and officers within, the palace to pay him the 
 same honor as to myself, and be sure to wake me before Abou 
 Hassan, because I wish to be present when he awakes. ' ' 
 
 The vizier did as the caliph commanded, and in the morning 
 the caliph, as soon as he had dressed, went into the room where 
 Abou Hassan lay, and hid himself in a little closet, from which 
 he could see all that passed. The officers and servants who were 
 to wait on Abou Hassan went in at the same time, and took 
 their places, ready to perform their duties, as if the caliph him- 
 self had been going to rise. As it was just daybreak, and time to 
 prepare for morning prayer before sunrise, the officer who stood 
 nearest to the head of the bed put a sponge steeped in vinegar to 
 
127 
 
 Abou Hassan's nose, and he immediately awoke. The moment 
 he opened his eyes, he saw a large room, splendidly furnished, 
 with a finely painted ceiling, adorned with vases of gold and 
 silver, the floor covered with rich carpets, and many slaves 
 bowing down before him. Casting his eyes on the covering of 
 the bed, he saw it was cloth of gold, embossed with pearls and 
 diamonds, and near the bed, on a cushion, was a robe of tissue 
 embroidered with jewels. 
 
 At the sight of this splendor, Abou Hassan was amazed. He 
 looked upon all he saw as a dream, yet he wished it to be a 
 reality. " So," said he to himself , "I am caliph ! But," added 
 he, thinking for a moment, "it is only a dream, the effect of 
 the wish I made to my guest last night. ' ' Then he turned himself 
 about and shut his eyes to sleep. At the same time the vizier, 
 bowing himself to the ground, said, " Commander of the Faith- 
 ful, it is time for your Majesty to rise to prayers; the morning 
 begins to advance. ' ' These words surprised Abou Hassan very 
 much. He clapped his hands before his eyes, and lowering his 
 head, said to himself, " What means all this ? Where am I ? 
 To whom does this palace belong ? What can these viziers, offi- 
 cers, and slaves mean ? Am I in my right senses or in a 
 dream ? ' ' 
 
 When he took his hands from his eyes, and lifted up his head, 
 the sun shone full in at the window. At that instant Mesrour, 
 chief of the household, came in, bowed himself before Abou 
 Hassan, and said, " Commander of the Faithful, your Majesty 
 will excuse me for telling you that you used not to rise so late. 
 It is time for you to ascend your throne and hold your council 
 as usual; all the great officers of state are already in the council 
 hall awaiting your presence." 
 
 Abou Hassan now found that he was neither asleep nor in a 
 dream, but he was embarrassed and confused and did not know 
 what to do. At last, looking at Mesrour, he said to him in a 
 serious tone, " Do you know to whom you speak, and whom you 
 call Commander of the Faithful ? I do not know you, and 
 
128 
 
 you must mistake me for somebody else." " My lord and 
 master," answered Mesrour, " is not your Majesty the Com- 
 mander of the Faithful, monarch of the world from east to west ? 
 Mesrour, your poor slave, has not forgotten you, after so many 
 years that he has had the honor and happiness to serve and pay 
 his respects to your Majesty." 
 
 Abou Hassan burst out laughing at these words, and fell back- 
 wards upon the bolster. This amused the caliph so much that 
 he would have laughed as loud himself, but he did not wish to 
 spoil the sport he and his household were going to have. 
 
 Abou Hassan,, when he had tired himself laughing, sat up 
 again, and calling the slave that stood nearest to him, said, 
 " Come here and bite the end of my finger, that I may feel 
 whether I am asleep or awake." The slave, knowing that the 
 caliph saw all that passed, and being anxious to please him, went, 
 and putting Abou's finger between his teeth, he bit it so hard that 
 he gave him great pain. Snatching his hand quickly back Abou 
 then said, " I find I am awake; I feel, and hear, and see, and 
 therefore I know that I am not asleep. But by what miracle 
 have I become caliph in a night's time ! " 
 
 Abou Hassan now beginning to rise, the chief of the officers 
 gave him his hand, and helped him to get out of bed. As soon 
 as his feet were set on the floor, the chamber rang with 
 the salutations of those present, who all cried out together, 
 " Commander of 'the Faithful, God give your Majesty a good 
 day." " O heaven ! " cried Abou Hassan, " what a strange 
 thing this is ! Yesterday I was Abou Hassan, and to-day I 
 am the Commander of the Faithful. I cannot understand this 
 sudden and surprising change." Then the slaves began to dress 
 him, and when they had done, they led him through all the at- 
 tendants, -who were ranged on both sides, to the council chamber 
 door, which was opened by one of the officers. Mesrour walked 
 before him to the foot of the throne, where he stopped, and then 
 the officers, taking him by the arms, helped him to ascend the 
 throne, upon which Abou Hassan sat down. 
 
I2Q 
 
 The caliph, in the mean time, came out of the closet, and 
 went into another, which looked into the hall, and from this he 
 could see and hear all that passed in council. As soon as Abou 
 Hassan seated himself, the grand vizier bowed down at the foot 
 of the throne, and rising, said, " Commander of the Faithful, 
 God shower down blessing on your Majesty in this life, and receive 
 you into his paradise in the other world. ' ' Abou Hassan then 
 fully believed that he was caliph, as he wished to be, and, with- 
 out any further questions as to how he had become so, imme- 
 diately began to exercise his power. So looking very gravely at 
 the vizier, he asked him what he had to say. " Commander of 
 the Faithful," replied the grand vizier, "the lords, viziers, and 
 other officers of your council, are waiting outside till your Majesty 
 gives them leave to pay their respects." Abou Hassan ordered 
 the door to be opened. Then the viziers, lords, and principal 
 officers of the court, all dressed magnificently, entered the hall, 
 and going to the foot of the throne, paid their respects to Abou 
 Hassan, bowing their heads down to the carpet and saluting him 
 with the title of Commander of the Faithful. 
 
 When this ceremony was over, the grand vizier, standing 
 before the throne, began to make his report of affairs. But be- 
 fore the grand vizier had finished his report, Abou Hassan 
 noticed the police judge, or cadi, whom he knew by sight, sitting 
 in the hall. " Stop," said he to the grand vizier, interrupting 
 him, ' ' I have an order to give to the cadi. ' ' The cadi, hearing 
 his name mentioned, rose from his seat, and went to the foot of 
 the throne, where he bowed down with his face to the ground. 
 " Go immediately," said Abou Hassan, " to the mosque, seize the 
 imaum and the four old men, his friends, and give each of them 
 a hundred lashes. After that, mount them all five, clothed in 
 rags, on camels, with their faces to the tails, and lead them 
 through the whole city, with a crier before them, who shall cry 
 with a loud voice : ' This is the punishment of all those who 
 interfere in other people's affairs.' Make them also leave that 
 district, and never set foot in it more. And while your officer is 
 
130 
 
 conducting them through the town, return and give me an account 
 of the carrying out of my orders. ' ' The cadi, bowing himself a 
 second time, retired to execute the order. 
 
 Abou Hassan, then addressing the grand vizier, said, "Go 
 to the treasurer for a purse of a thousand pieces of gold, 
 and carry it to the mother of one Abou Hassan. She lives 
 in the same quarter to which I sent the cadi. Go, and return 
 immediately." The grand vizier, after bowing himself before 
 the throne, went to the treasurer who gave him the money. 
 Then he ordered a slave to take it, and to follow him to Abou 
 Hassan's mother, to whom he gave it, saying, " The caliph 
 makes you this present." She received it with the greatest 
 surprise. 
 
 During the grand vizier's absence, the cadi made the usual re- 
 port of his office, which lasted till the vizier returned. As soon 
 as he came into the council chamber, and told Abou Hassan that 
 he had executed his orders, Abou made a sign to the viziers and 
 other officers that the council was over, and that they might all 
 retire. This they did, making the same salutation at the foot 
 of the throne as when they entered. 
 
 Abou Hassan now descended from the caliph's throne, and 
 was conducted with much ceremony into a magnificent hall. In 
 this hall was a table covered with gold plates and dishes, filled 
 with all kinds of delicious meats. Seven young ladies, dressed in 
 the richest habits, stood round the table, each with a fan in her 
 hand, to fan Abou Hassan when at dinner. 
 
 When he entered this stately hall Abou Hassan was charmed. 
 At every step he took he could not help stopping to examine the 
 wonders that met his eyes, and he turned first to one side, and 
 then to the other, which gave the caliph, who was watching him, 
 very great pleasure. At last he sat down at the table, and pre- 
 sently all the ladies began to fan the new caliph. 
 
 When the ladies saw that Abou Hassan had done eating, one of 
 them said to the slaves who waited, " The Commander of the 
 Faithful will go into the hall where the dessert is laid; bring some 
 
water." Then the slaves, one taking a gold basin, another a 
 ewer of the same metal, and a third a towel, kneeled before 
 Abou Hassan, and presented them to him to wash his hands. 
 As soon as he had done he got up and, preceded by the chief offi- 
 cer, went into another hall, as large as the former, adorned with 
 paintings by the best artists, and furnished with gold and silver 
 vessels, carpets, and other rich furniture. There the sultan's 
 musicians began to play as soon as Abou Hassan appeared. In 
 this hall there was a table in the middle covered with dried sweet- 
 meats, the choicest and most exquisite fruits of the season, raised 
 in pyramids, in seven gold basins, and seven other beautiful ladies 
 standing round it, each with a fan in her hand. 
 
 Abou Hassan went directly to the table and sat down. Then 
 he ordered the ladies to lay aside their fans, and sit down and eat 
 with him, telling them that it was not so hot but he could spare 
 them the trouble of fanning. After they had partaken of the de- 
 licious fruits, the day now beginning to close, Abou Hassan was 
 conducted into a fourth hall, much more magnificently furnished, 
 and lighted with wax in seven gold candlesticks, which gave a 
 splendid light. In this hall there was a sideboard set out with 
 seven large silver flagons, full of the choicest wines, and by them 
 seven crystal glasses of the finest workmanship. 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan entered he went to the table, sat down, 
 and was a long time admiring everything which surrounded him. 
 He then wished to continue his conversation with the ladies, and 
 he clapped his hands for the musicians to cease, which they at once 
 did. Taking by the hand the lady who stood next to him, he 
 made her sit down by him, and, presenting her with a cake, asked 
 her name. " Commander of the Faithful," said the lady, " I 
 am called Cluster of Pearls." " No name," replied Abou 
 Hassan, " could be more fitting for you, for your teeth exceed 
 the finest pearls. Cluster of Pearls, since that is your name, 
 oblige me with a glass of wine from your hand." The lady went 
 to the sideboard, filled a glass of wine, and putting into it a little 
 of the same powder the caliph had used the night before, she 
 
132 
 
 presented it to Abou Hassan, saying, " Commander of the 
 Faithful, I beg your Majesty to take this glass of wine, and 
 before you drink it, do me the favor to hear a song I have com- 
 posed to-day, which I think will please you. ' ' 
 
 When the lady concluded her song, Abou Hassan drank off his 
 glass, and turned his head towards her to speak to her. But in 
 a moment, dropping his head on the cushions, he fell asleep and 
 slept as soundly as on the day before, when the caliph gave him 
 the powder. One of the ladies stood ready to catch the glass, 
 which fell out of his hand. Then the caliph, who was all along 
 a spectator of what passed, came into the hall, overjoyed at the 
 success of his plan. He ordered Abou Hassan to be dressed in 
 his own clothes, carried back to his own house, and placed in 
 his bed. 
 
 Abou Hassan slept till very late the next morning. When he 
 awoke, opened his eyes, and found himself at home, he was in 
 the utmost surprise. " Cluster of Pearls," cried he, " where are 
 you ? Come here. " He called so loud that his mother, who was 
 in her own apartment, heard him, and running to him, said, 
 " What ails you, son ? what has happened to you ? " At these 
 words Abou Hassan lifted up his head, and looking at his mother, 
 said, " Good woman, who is it you call son ? " " Why, you," 
 answered his mother; " are not you Abou Hassan, my son ? It 
 is strange that you have forgotten yourself so soon. " "I your 
 son ! " replied Abou Hassan. " You know not what you say. I 
 am not Abou Hassan, but the Commander of the Faithful." 
 " Pray, son," said the mother, " let us leave off this discourse. 
 Let us talk of something else. I will tell you what happened 
 yesterday to the imaum of the mosque and four of his friends. 
 The cadi came and seized them, and gave each of them I know 
 not how many strokes, while a crier proclaimed that that was 
 the punishment of all those who troubled themselves about other 
 people's business. He afterwards led them through all the 
 streets, and ordered them never to come into our quarter again. ' ' 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan heard this he cried out, " It was by 
 
133 
 
 my order they were punished, and I tell you I am the Com- 
 mander of the Faithful." 
 
 The mother then began to fear that her son had lost his senses, 
 and in this thought she said, " I pray God to have mercy upon 
 you, and to give you sense to talk more reasonably. What would 
 the neighbors say to hear you rave in this manner ? ' ' 
 
 These words only enraged Abou Hassan the more. He was so 
 angry that he lost all the respect due from a son to his mother. 
 Getting up hastily, and laying hold of a cane, he rushed towards 
 her in great fury, and said, " Tell me directly who I am." " I 
 do not believe, son, ' ' replied she, looking at him tenderly, and 
 withour fear, ' ' that you are so abandoned by God as not to know 
 your mother. You are indeed my son Abou Hassan, and are 
 much in the wrong to take to yourself the title which belongs 
 only to our sovereign lord, the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, especially 
 after the noble and generous present of a thousand pieces of 
 gold that he sent us yesterday ! ' ' 
 
 At these words Abou Hassan grew quite mad. " Well," cried 
 he, " you must be convinced when I tell you that I sent you those 
 thousand pieces of gold, as I was Commander of the Faithful. 
 Why, then, do you say that I am your son ? But you shall not go 
 unpunished." After these words, in the height of his madness 
 he beat her with his cane. The poor mother, who could not un- 
 derstand her son, called out for help so loud that the neighbors 
 ran in to her assistance. Abou Hassan continued to beat her, at 
 every stroke asking her if he was the Commander of the Faithful, 
 to which she always answered tenderly that he was her son. The 
 neighbors severely reproved Abou Hassan for his conduct, but he 
 said to them, ' ' Begone ! I know neither her nor you. I am 
 not Abou Hassan, I am the Commander of the Faithful, and 
 will make you feel it to your cost." 
 
 Then the neighbors, feeling certain that he was mad, seized 
 him, and took him to the hospital for mad people, where he was 
 put in a cell. His mother went every day to visit him, and 
 wept at the hardships he endured, for they punished him 
 
134 
 
 whenever he talked about being the Commander of the Faith- 
 ful. At last he began to think that he was not the caliph. 
 Sometimes he would say to himself, ' ' If I was Commander of 
 the Faithful, why should the grand vizier and all those lords, 
 who bowed themselves at my feet, forsake me ? How came 
 I to be dressed in my own robes ? Certainly I ought to look 
 upon all as a dream. ' ' 
 
 Abou Hassan was occupied with these thoughts one day when 
 his mother came to see him. " Well, my son," said she, wiping 
 her tears, ' ' how do you do, and how do you find yourself ? ' ' 
 " Indeed, mother," replied Abou Hassan, very calmly, " I 
 acknowledge my error. I have been deceived by a dream, but 
 by so extraordinary a one, and so like the truth, that while I am 
 speaking I can hardly believe but that what happened me was 
 matter of fact. I am convinced now, however, that I am not the 
 Commander of the Faithful, but Abou Hassan, your son." 
 " My son," cried she with pleasure, " to hear you talk so rea- 
 sonably gives me the greatest joy. But I must tell you my 
 opinion of your adventure. I fear that the stranger you brought 
 home the evening before your illness to sup with you was the 
 cause of your trouble." Then she went immediately to the 
 keeper of the hospital, who came and examined Abou Hassan 
 and, finding him recovered, released him. 
 
 Soon after returning home Abou Hassan again began his former 
 practice of inviting a stranger to supper every night. On the 
 first day he had not been long at the bridge, when he saw the 
 same merchant, followed by the same slave. Believing that all 
 his misfortunes were caused by this man, he shuddered at the 
 sight of him. " God preserve me," said he to himself; " if I am 
 not deceived, there is again the magician who enchanted me." 
 He trembled with fear and resolved not to look again at him till 
 he had passed. 
 
 The caliph had taken care to learn all that happened to Abou 
 Hassan, and he was glad that he had returned to his usual man- 
 ner of living. He saw Abou Hassan at the same moment that Abou 
 
135 
 
 saw him, and when he came near him, he looked him in the face. 
 " Ho, brother Abou Hassan," said he, "is it you ? I am glad 
 to see you." " I am not glad to see you," replied Abou Has- 
 san ; ' ' they called me a madman, and beat me in the madhouse, 
 and all this I have suffered through you. Depart from me and 
 go thy way." The caliph was not to be turned from his pur- 
 pose by this rude behavior. He knew well the rule Abou Has- 
 san had made never to invite any person to supper a second 
 time, but he pretended to be ignorant of it. ' ' Ah, brother Abou 
 Hassan, ' ' said he, " I do not intend to part with you thus, since 
 I have had the good fortune to meet with you a second time. 
 You must show me the same hospitality again that you showed 
 me a month ago, when I had the honor to take supper with you. ' ' 
 Abou Hassan, notwithstanding his resolution, could not refuse 
 the request of the caliph, whom he still took for a merchant. 
 " I will consent," said he, " on condition that thou swear to me 
 by the inscription on the seal of Solomon that thou wilt not per- 
 mit thy genies to make sport of me." "Well," replied the 
 caliph, " since you will have it so, I promise you." 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan entered his house, he called for his 
 mother and desired his guest to sit down upon a sofa. In a 
 little while supper was served, and they both began to eat. 
 When they had done, Abou Hassan's mother cleared the table, 
 set on a dessert of fruit and wine, and then withdrew. Abou 
 Hassan first filled out his own glass and then the caliph's, and 
 after they had talked for some time, the caliph said, "It is 
 a great pity that so good a man as you should lead a single life. ' ' 
 " I prefer the easy, quiet life I live," replied Abou Hassan, " to 
 having a wife that would not please me. I should require 
 beauty, accomplishments, the art of pleasing, and wit in con- 
 versation, but where is such a woman to be found except in the 
 caliph's palace ? " " Let me alone," said the caliph in reply, 
 " since you have the same good taste as every other honest man, 
 I warrant you I will find you a wife that shall please you." 
 Then taking Abou Hassan's glass, and putting a pinch of the 
 
136 
 
 same powder into it, he filled it up, and presenting it to him, 
 said, " Come, let us drink beforehand the fair lady's health who 
 is to make you happy. I am sure you will like her." Abou 
 Hassan took the glass, and, laughing and shaking his head, said, 
 " Be it so, since you desire it; I will drink the health of the lady 
 you promise me, though I am very well contented as I am, and 
 do not rely on your keeping your word. ' ' As soon as he drank 
 off his glass he fell into as deep a sleep as before, and the caliph 
 ordered the same slave to take him and carry him to the palace. 
 
 When they arrived at the palace, the caliph ordered Abou 
 Hassan to be dressed in the same robes in which he had acted 
 as caliph, and to be laid on a sofa in the fourth hall, from which 
 he had been carried home asleep a month before. He also 
 ordered all the viziers, officers, ladies, and musicians to be there 
 by daybreak, and to take care to act their parts well when Abou 
 Hassan should awake. He then retired to rest, telling Mesrour 
 to awake him first, that he might conceal himself in the closet as 
 before. 
 
 At daylight Abou Hassan awoke, and at the same moment the 
 fifes, flutes, and other instruments commenced to play. Abou 
 Hassan was greatly surprised to hear the music, but when he 
 opened his eyes, and saw the ladies and officers about him, and 
 the magnificent chamber which he had visited in his first dream, 
 his surprise increased. When the concert stopped and all the 
 officers waited, in respectful silence, Abou Hassan bit his finger, 
 and cried loud enough for the caliph to hear him, " Alas! I am 
 fallen again into the same dream that happened to me a month 
 ago, and must expect again the punishment and grated cell at the 
 madhouse. He was a wicked man that I had at my house last 
 night. He is the cause of this, and the hardships I must again 
 undergo." Thus speaking, he resolved to sleep again, and to 
 regard all he saw as a dream. But they would not give him time to 
 do so, and one of the officers taking him by one arm, and a second 
 by the other, they lifted him up, and carried him into the middle 
 of the hall. Here they seated him, and, all taking hands, danced 
 
137 
 
 and skipped round him while the music played and sounded loudly 
 in his ears. 
 
 Abou Hassan commanded silence, and inquired whether he 
 were indeed the caliph. They told him that he had never been 
 out of that hall since the time he fell asleep in it. He then un- 
 covered his shoulders, and showed the marks of the blows he had 
 received -in the madhouse. "Look," said he, "and judge 
 whether these strokes could come to me in a dream, or when I 
 was asleep. I can tell you they were real blows ; I feel the smart 
 of them yet, and that is sure proof. Now if I received these 
 strokes in my sleep, in this hall, it is the most extraordinary thing 
 in the world. ' ' 
 
 Abou Hassan then called to one of the officers that stood near 
 him, and said, "Come here and bite the tip of my ear, that I 
 may know whether I am asleep or awake. ' ' The officer obeyed, 
 and bit so hard that he made him cry out loudly with pain. The 
 music struck up at the same time, and the officers and ladies all 
 began to sing, dance, and skip about Abou Hassan, and made" 
 such a noise that he was certain they were making game of him. 
 Then he thought he would join in the joke, and so he threw off 
 his caliph's dress, leaped up in his shirt and drawers, and danced 
 with the rest, jumping, and cutting capers. The caliph could 
 not contain himself any longer, but burst into loud laughter, and 
 putting his head into the room, cried, "Abou Hassan, Abou 
 Hassan, have you a mind to kill me with laughing?" 
 
 As soon as the caliph's voice was heard everybody was silent, 
 and Abou Hassan, turning round, recognized his guest of the 
 previous night, and knew him to be the caliph. He understood 
 at once all that had happened to him. " Ha! ha! " said he, 
 looking at him with a smile, "you pretend to be a merchant. 
 You have made me beat my mother, and lose my senses, and 
 have been the occasion of all my misfortunes. I -beg of you to 
 tell me what you did to disturb my brain in this manner." 
 
 " You will remember," said the caliph, "the evening that you 
 invited me to supper, you told me that the only thjng you wished 
 
138 
 
 for was to be caliph for four-and-twenty hours. I saw in this 
 wish of yours a source of some harmless amusement to me and 
 to my court, and I resolved to procure for you the fulfillment of 
 your wish. By means of a powder which I put, without your 
 knowledge, in the glass I presented to you, I had you conveyed 
 to my palace. You know the rest. I am sorry that my sport 
 has caused you so much suffering, but I will do all I can to make 
 up for it. Thou art my brother; ask what thou wilt and thou 
 shalt have it. ' ' 
 
 "Commander of the Faithful," replied Abou Hassan, "no 
 matter how great my sufferings may have been, they are all 
 forgotten, since my sovereign lord and master had a share in 
 them. The only favor I beg is that I may be permitted to 
 visit you, to enjoy the happiness of admiring your virtues." 
 The caliph ordered a rich robe to be brought, and presented to 
 Abou Hassan and he appointed him to an office in the palace, 
 and directed the treasurer to give him a purse of a thousand gold 
 pieces. 
 
 After this the caliph often had Abou Hassan at court, and 
 took him to visit his queen, Zobeide, to whom he related his 
 story. Now Zobeide soon saw that every time he came with the 
 caliph he had his eyes always fixed upon one of her lady attend- 
 ants, called Nouzatalf uad. ' ' Commander of the Faithful, ' ' said 
 she one day, "you do not see that every time Abou Hassan 
 attends you in your visits to me, he never keeps his eyes off 
 Nouzatalfuad, and pays her great attention. If you approve of 
 it, \tfe will make a match between them." "Madam," replied 
 the caliph, "I have already promised Abou Hassan a wife, but it 
 is better that he should choose for himself. ' ' Abou Hassan, who 
 was present at the time, threw himself at the caliph's and Zo- 
 beide 's feet, and rising up, said, " I cannot receive a wife from 
 better hands, but dare not hope that Nouzatalfuad will give her 
 consent." At these words he looked at the lady, who was also 
 present, and who showed by her respectful silence, that she was 
 willing to obey the caliph and her mistress Zobeide. 
 
139 
 
 The marriage was celebrated in the palace, with great rejoic- 
 ings, which lasted several days. Zobeide made her attendant 
 many presents, and the caliph did the same to Abou Hassan. 
 The bride was conducted to the apartment the caliph had allotted 
 to Abou Hassan, who received her with the greatest happiness. 
 They were charmed with each other. Indeed, Nouzatalfuad was 
 just such a wife as Abou Hassan had described to the caliph. 
 After their marriage, they gave costly entertainments, sparing no 
 expense for the amusement of their friends, until, at the end of 
 the first year of their marriage, they had spent all the presents 
 given by the sultan and Zobeide, as well as Abou Hassan's own 
 private fortune. 
 
 Being in great need of money and not wishing to ask any 
 from the sultan or Zobeide, Abou Hassan resolved to play a 
 pleasant trick on the caliph and on Zobeide, and to obtain from 
 them the means of carrying on his usual mode of living. ' ' I will 
 tell you what I propose," said he to Nouzatalfuad. "I will pre- 
 tend to be dead, and you shall place me in the middle of my 
 chamber, laid out, as if ready to be carried to burial. When 
 you have done this, you must weep, tear your clothes and hair, 
 and go all in tears to Zobeide. The princess will of course in- 
 quire the cause of your grief, and when you tell her, she will pity 
 you, give you money to defray the expense of my funeral, and 
 a piece of good brocade in place of that you will have torn. 
 As soon as you return with the money and the brocade, I will 
 rise, lay you in my place, and go and act the same part with the 
 caliph, who, I dare say, will be as generous to me as Zobeide will 
 have been to you. ' ' 
 
 Nouzatalfuad highly approved of the plan, and so she laid out 
 her husband as he directed. Then she pulled off her headdress, 
 and, with a dismal cry and lamentation, beating her face and 
 breast with all the marks of grief, she ran across the court to Zo- 
 beide's apartments. The princess, amazed to see her in such 
 extraordinary grief, asked what had happened. Instead of 
 answering, she continued her sobs, and at last, pretending to 
 
140 
 
 strive to check them, said, with words interrupted with sighs, 
 "Alas! my most honored mistress, what greater misfortune could 
 have happened to me! Abou Hassan! poor Abou Hassan! 
 whom you gave me for a husband, is no more!" Zobeide was 
 extremely grieved at hearing this. She then commanded her 
 women to fetch a hundred pieces of gold and a rich brocade, and 
 to give them to Nouzatalfuad, who thanked the princess very 
 much for her kindness. 
 
 As soon as she got out of the princess's presence, she dried 
 up her tears, and returned with joy to Abou Hassan. "Come, 
 husband," said she, laughing, "now do you hasten and see if you 
 can manage the caliph as well as I have managed Zobeide." "It 
 would be odd indeed," replied he, "if I, who made this plot 
 myself, could not carry it on as well as you. But let us lose no 
 time; lie down in my place, and see if I do not come off with as 
 much success." 
 
 Abou Hassan wrapped up his wife as she had done with him, 
 and, like a man in the greatest grief, ran to the caliph. He pre- 
 sented himself at the door, and the officer opened it. He entered, 
 holding with one hand his handkerchief before his eyes, to hide 
 the pretended tears, striking his breast with the other, and 
 uttering exclamations expressing extraordinary grief. The caliph, 
 always used to seeing Abou Hassan with a merry face, inquired 
 with much uneasiness the cause of his grief. "Commander of 
 the Faithful, ' ' answered Abou Hassan, with sighs and sobs, ' ' may 
 you long reign ! A greater misfortune could not have happened 
 to me than what I now lament. Alas ! Nouzatalfuad ! my wife ! 
 alas! alas!" 
 
 The caliph, who now understood that Abou Hassan came to 
 tell him of the death of his wife, was much distressed, and said 
 to him with an air which showed how he regretted her loss, "God 
 be merciful to her ! She was a good woman, and we gave her to 
 you with an intention to make you happy; she deserved a longer 
 life." Having said this, he ordered his treasurer, who was pres- 
 ent, to give Abou Hassan a purse of a hundred pieces of gold, and 
 
a piece of brocade. Abou Hassan immediately cast himself at 
 the caliph's feet, and thanked him for his present. He then 
 went to his apartment, well pleased with having found out so 
 quick and easy a way of supplying the necessity which had given 
 him so much uneasiness. Nouzatalfuad, as soon as she heard 
 the door open, sprang up, ran to her husband, and asked him if 
 he had imposed on the caliph as cleverly as she had imposed on 
 Zobeide. " You see ! " said he, showing her the stuff, and shak- 
 ing the purse. 
 
 The caliph was so impatient to sympathize with Zobeide on 
 the death of her favorite companion, that he rose up as soon as 
 Abou Hassan was gone. " Follow me, " said he to the vizier; 
 "let us go and share with the princess the grief which the death 
 of Nouzatalfuad must have caused her." 
 
 Accordingly they went to Zobeide 's apartment. They found 
 her sitting on a sofa, much distressed, and still in tears. 
 "Madam," said the caliph, "I wish to tell you how much I 
 sympathize with you in your grief at the loss of Nouzatalfuad, 
 your faithful attendant. ' ' "Commander of the Faithful, ' ' replied 
 Zobeide, "I do not lament my attendant's death, but that of 
 Abou Hassan, her husband." "Madam," said the caliph, "you 
 are deceived; Nouzatalfuad is dead, and Abou Hassan is alive, 
 and in perfect health. ' ' 
 
 Zobeide, somewhat offended at this answer of the caliph, re- 
 plied, "Permit me to repeat that it is Abou Hassan who is dead, 
 and that Nouzatalfuad, his widow, is living. It is not an hour 
 since she went from here, having told me of her loss. All my 
 women, who wept with me, can bear witness that I made her a 
 present of a hundred pieces of gold and a piece of brocade. 
 The grief which you found me in was on account of the death of 
 her husband." 
 
 At these words of Zobeide, the caliph cried out in a fit of 
 laughter, ' ' This, madam, is a strange mistake ; but, ' ' said he, 
 seriously, "you may depend upon it that Nouzatalfuad is dead." 
 "I tell you no, sir," replied Zobeide; "it is Abou Hassan that is 
 
142 
 
 dead." Upon this the caliph became angry, and he ordered 
 the vizier to go at once and find out the truth and bring him 
 word. 
 
 As soon as the vizier was gone, the caliph, addressing Zobeide, 
 said, "You will see in a moment which of us is right." "For 
 my part, ' ' replied Zobeide, ' ' I know very well that I am right, 
 and you will find it to be Abou Hassan who is dead." "And 
 for myself," returned the caliph, "I am so sure that it is Nouza- 
 talfuad that I will stake my garden of pleasures against your 
 palace of paintings, though the one is worth much more than the 
 other." "I accept the wager," said Zobeide, "and will abide 
 by it." The caliph declared the same intention, and both 
 awaited the vizier's return. 
 
 While the caliph and Zobeide were disputing so earnestly, 
 Abou Hassan, who had expected something of this kind, was 
 watching for what might happen. As soon as he noticed the 
 vizier through a window, at which he sat talking with his wife, 
 and saw that he was coming directly to their apartment, he bade 
 his wife make haste to act the part they had agreed on. He had 
 barely time to wrap up Nouzatalfuad, and lay upon her the piece 
 of brocade which the caliph had given him, before the vizier 
 entered the apartment. Seeing Nouzatalfuad laid out, and Abou 
 Hassan shedding tears over her, the vizier immediately returned 
 to the caliph and said, "Commander of the Faithful, it is Nouza- 
 talfuad who is dead, and Abou Hassan is as much grieved as 
 when he appeared before your Majesty." The caliph, not giv- 
 ing him time to finish his story, interrupted him, and addressing 
 Zobeide, "Well, madam," said he, "have you yet anything to say 
 against so certain a truth ? Will you still believe that Nouzatal- 
 fuad is alive, and that Abou Hassan is dead ? And will you not 
 own that you have lost your wager?" "How, sir?" replied 
 Zobeide; "I am not blind or mad! With these eyes I saw 
 Nouzatalfuad in the greatest grief. I spoke to her myself, and 
 she told me that her husband was dead. My women also heard 
 her cries and saw her tears. Let .me, I pray you, send my nurse, 
 
in whom I can place confidence, to Abou Hassan's, to know 
 whether or not I am in error." The caliph consented, and the 
 nurse set out on her inquiry. 
 
 Now Abou Hassan, who again watched at the window, saw the 
 nurse at a distance, and, guessing that she was sent by Zobeide, 
 called his wife, and told her that the princess's nurse was coming 
 to know the truth. "Therefore," said he, "make haste, and 
 do to me as we have agreed on. ' ' Accordingly, Nouzatalfuad 
 covered him with the brocade Zobeide had given her, and laid 
 him out as if dead. The nurse, soon entering the room, saw 
 Nouzatalfuad in tears, and seated at the head of her husband, 
 beating her breast, with all the expressions of deep grief. 
 
 Then the nurse made all the haste she could to Zobeide, and 
 gave the caliph and the princess a true account of what she saw, 
 declaring that it was Abou Hassan who was dead. The caliph 
 was now much astonished and puzzled, and he said, "It seems to 
 me a strange thing that no one can be believed more than an- 
 other. Therefore, I propose we go ourselves to find out the 
 truth, for I see no other way to settle this question." So say- 
 ing, the caliph arose, and the princess and her attendants fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 Abou Hassan, who saw them coming, told his wife of it. 
 " What shall we do ? " cried she; "we are ruined ! " "Not at 
 all; don't be afraid," said Abou Hassan. -"Let us do as we have 
 agreed, and all will turn out well. At the rate they are coming, 
 we shall be ready before they reach the door." 
 
 Abou Hassan and his wife then covered themselves as well as 
 they could, and placing themselves, one beside the other, in the 
 middle of the chamber, each under a piece of brocade, they 
 waited quietly for the arrival of the caliph and Zobeide. On 
 entering the chamber, followed by all their people, the caliph and 
 the princess were much surprised at the spectacle which presented 
 itself to their view. Zobeide at last broke silence. "Alas! "said 
 she to the caliph, "it is too true my dear Nouzatalfuad is dead, 
 as it seems, for grief at having lost her husband." "Allow 
 
144 
 
 rather, madam," replied the caliph, "that Nouzatalfuad died 
 first, and that the poor Abou Hassan died of grief at seeing his 
 wife dead." "No," replied Zobeide, "Abou Hassan died first, 
 because my nurse saw his wife alive, and lamenting her husband's 
 death." At last the caliph, thinking upon all that had passed, 
 and vexed at not being able to come at the truth, cried out, "I 
 will give a thousand pieces of gold to the person who shall find 
 which of the two died first." 
 
 The caliph had scarcely spoken these words, when he heard a 
 voice, under the brocade which covered Abou Hassan, say, 
 "Commander of the Faithful, I died first; give me the thousand 
 pieces of gold." And at the same time Abou Hassan, freeing 
 himself from the brocade which covered him, threw himself at 
 the caliph's feet. His wife uncovered herself in the same man- 
 ner, and ran to throw herself at the feet of Zobeide. Zobeide 
 set up a loud cry of fright and alarm. At last recovering herself, 
 she was overjoyed at seeing her Nouzatalfuad alive. 
 
 The caliph laughed until he was almost senseless, and then he 
 said, "O Abou Hassan, thou hast not ceased to be a wag, and 
 to do wonders and strange acts. " "Commander of the Faith- 
 ful," replied Abou Hassan, "I will tell you the whole truth. 
 I and the wife you gave me have been too extravagant in our 
 entertainments to our friends, and we have spent all the money 
 which your kindness supplied us with. This morning we found 
 our purses quite empty, and knowing your Highness' s fondness 
 for a pleasant joke, we invented this plan to supply our need. 
 We humbly beg you will forgive us. ' ' 
 
 The caliph and Zobeide were very well satisfied with the explana- 
 tion of Abou Hassan, and they forgave him the deception prac- 
 ticed on them. "Follow me, both of you," said the caliph; "I 
 will give you the thousand pieces of gold that I promised you, for 
 the joy I feel that neither of you is dead." "Commander of 
 the Faithful," said Zobeide, " content yourself with causing the 
 thousand pieces of gold to be given to Abou Hassan. As to his 
 wife, that is my business. ' ' Then she gave a thousand pieces of 
 
H5 
 
 gold to Nouzatalfuad in proof of the joy she felt that she was 
 still alive. 
 
 Thus did Abou Hassan and Nouzatalfuad gain the friendship 
 and favor of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid and of Zobeide, and 
 the caliph gave Abou Hassan an ample salary, enough for all his 
 wants, and he and his wife were prosperous and happy the 
 remainder of their lives. 
 
 STORY OF ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 In one of the large cities of China there once lived a tailor, 
 framed Muslapha. He was very poor. He could hardly, by his 
 daily labor, support himself and his wife and son. This son, who 
 was called Aladdin, was a very careless and idle fellow. He was 
 disobedient to his father and mother, and would go out early in 
 the morning, and stay out all day, playing in the streets with idle 
 children of his own age. When he was old enough to learn a 
 trade, his father took him into his own shop, and taught him how 
 to use the needle, but all his efforts to keep the boy at work were 
 useless, for no sooner was his back turned than Aladdin was gone 
 for the day. His son's idleness so much troubled Mustapha that 
 at last he fell sick and died. 
 
 Aladdin now gave himself entirely over to his idle habits. He 
 was never out of the streets. One day as he was playing with his 
 idle companions, a stranger, passing by, stood to observe him. 
 This stranger was an African magician. After looking at Aladdin 
 for some time, he inquired of his playmates who he was, and 
 when he had learned all he wanted to know, he went up to him, and, 
 taking him aside from his comrades, said, "Child, was not your 
 father called Mustapha the tailor?" "Yes, sir," answered the 
 boy, " but he has been dead a long time." At these words the 
 African magician threw his arms about Aladdin's neck, and 
 kissed him several times, with tears in his eyes, and said, "I am 
 your uncle. Your father was my brother. I knew you at first 
 
 ARABIAN MGHTS IO 
 
146 
 
 sight, you are so like him." Then he gave Aladdin a handful of 
 money, saying, "Go, my boy, to your mother, give my love to 
 her, and tell her that I will visit her to-morrow, that I may see 
 where my good brother lived so long, and ended his days. ' ' 
 
 Aladdin ran to his mother, overjoyed at getting the money. 
 " Mother," said he, "have I an uncle?" "No, child," replied 
 his mother, "you have no uncle by your father's side or mine." 
 "I have just now come," said Aladdin, " from a man who says 
 he is my uncle and my father's brother. He cried and kissed 
 me when I told him my father was dead, and gave me money, 
 sending his love to you, and promising to come and pay you a 
 visit, that he may see the house my father lived and died in." 
 "Indeed, child," replied the mother, "your father had no 
 brother, nor have you an uncle. ' ' 
 
 The next day the magician paid a visit to Aladdin's mother, 
 and he sat down and began to talk with her. "My good sister," 
 said he, "do not be surprised at your never having seen me all 
 the time you have been married to my brother Mustapha. I have 
 been forty years absent from this country, which is my native 
 place, and during that time have traveled in the Indies, Persia, 
 Arabia, Syria, and Egypt, and afterwards crossed over into Africa, 
 where I took up my abode. At last, as is natural for a man, I 
 wished to see my native country again, and my dear brother, and 
 finding I had strength enough to undertake so long a journey, I 
 made the necessary preparations, and set out. Nothing ever 
 grieved me so much as hearing of my brother's death." 
 
 The magician, seeing that the widow wept at the remembrance 
 of her husband, changed the conversation, and, turning towards 
 her son, asked him, "What business do you follow ? Are you of 
 any trade ? " At this question the youth hung down his head, 
 and his mother answered, "Aladdin is an idle fellow. His 
 father, when alive, strove all he could to teach him his trade, 
 but could not succeed, and since his death, he does nothing but 
 idle away his time in the streets, as you saw him." 
 
 After these words she burst into tears, and the magician said, 
 
147 
 
 " This is not well, nephew, you must think of helping yourself, 
 and getting your livelihood. There are many sorts of trades; 
 perhaps you do not like your father's, and would prefer another; 
 I will endeavor to help you. If you have no mind to learn a 
 trade, I will take a shop for you, furnish it with all sorts of fine 
 stuffs and linens, and then with the money you make of them you 
 can lay in fresh goods, and live in an honorable way. ' ' 
 
 The widow, after his promises of kindness to her son, no 
 longer doubted that the magician was her husband's brother. 
 She thanked him for his good intentions, and after having ad- 
 vised Aladdin to make himself worthy of his uncle's favor', she 
 served up supper, at which they talked of several matters. Soon 
 afterwards the magician took his leave. 
 
 Early next morning he called again, and said he would take 
 Aladdin to spend that day in the country, and on the next he 
 would purchase the shop. He then led him out at one of the 
 gates of the city, to some magnificent palaces, near each of 
 which were beautiful gardens. At every building he came to, he 
 asked Aladdin if he did not think it fine, and the youth answered, 
 crying out, "Here is a finer house, uncle, than any we have yet 
 seen." In this manner the cunning magician led Aladdin into 
 the country until they came to a place between two mountains 
 divided by a narrow valley. "We will go no farther now," said 
 the magician to Aladdin. 'VI will show you here some extraordi- 
 nary things, but I must strike a light, and while I do so, do you 
 gather all the loose dry sticks you can see, to kindle a fire 
 with." 
 
 Aladdin found so many dried sticks that he soon collected a 
 great heap. The magician then set them on fire, and when they 
 were in a blaze, he threw in some perfume, at the same time 
 uttering several magical words which Aladdin did not understand. 
 He had scarcely done so when the earth opened just before the 
 magician, and they saw a stone with a brass ring fixed in it. 
 Aladdin was so frightened that he would have run away, but the 
 magician caught hold of him, and told him that under the stone 
 
148 
 
 was a treasure which would be his. "No person but yourself," 
 said he, "is permitted to lift this stone, or enter the cave; so 
 you must do what I command, for it is a matter of great impor- 
 tance to you and me." "Well, uncle, what is to be done ?" said 
 Aladdin; "command me, I am ready to obey." "Take hold 
 of the ring, and lift up that stone," said the magician. "In- 
 deed, uncle," replied Aladdin, " I am not strong enough; you 
 must help me. ' ' "You have no need for help, ' ' answered the ma- 
 gician; "if I help you we shall not get the treasure. Take hold 
 of the ring, and lift it up; you will find it will come easily." 
 Aladdin did as the magician bade him, raised the stone with ease, 
 and laid it on one side. 
 
 When the stone was pulled up, there appeared a staircase about 
 three or four feet deep, leading to a door. "Descend these steps, 
 my son," said the magician, "and open that door. It will lead 
 you into a palace, divided into three great halls. In each of 
 these you will see four large brass cisterns full of gold and silver, 
 but take care you do not meddle with them. Before you enter 
 the first hall, be sure to tuck up your robe, wrap it about you, 
 and then pass through the second into the third without stopping. 
 Above all things, have a._ care that you do not touch the walls, so 
 much as with your clothes, for if you do, you will die instantly. 
 At the end of the third hall, you will find a door which opens 
 into a garden, planted with fine trees loaded with fruit. Walk 
 directly across the garden to a terrace, where you will see a niche 
 before you, and in that niche a lighted lamp. Take the lamp 
 down and put it out. When you have thrown away the wick and 
 poured out the oil, put it in your waistband and bring it to me." 
 After these words the magician drew a ring off his finger, and 
 put it on one of Aladdin's, saying, "It is a charm which will pro- 
 tect you against all evil, so long as you obey me. Go, therefore, 
 boldly, and we shall both be rich all our lives." 
 
 Aladdin descended the steps, and, opening the door, found 
 the three halls just as the African magician had described. He 
 went through them, crossed the garden without stopping, took 
 
I 49 
 
 down the lamp from the niche, and, after throwing out the wick 
 and the oil, put it in his waistband. He stopped in the garden 
 to observe the trees, which were loaded with fruit of different 
 colors. Some were entirely white, some clear and transparent as 
 crystal, some pale red, others green, blue, and purple, and others 
 yellow. The white were pearls, the clear and transparent, dia- 
 monds, the red, rubies, the green, emeralds, the blue, turquoises 
 the purple, amethysts, and the yellow, sapphires. Aladdin, 
 though ignorant of their value, filled his pockets with them, and 
 crammed his bosom as full as it could hold. 
 
 He then returned through the three halls, and soon arrived at 
 the mouth of the cave, where the magician awaited him. As 
 soon as Aladdin saw him, he cried out, "Pray, uncle, lend me 
 your hand, to help me out." "Give me the lamp first," replied 
 the magician, ' ' it will be troublesome to you. " " Indeed, uncle, ' ' 
 answered Aladdin, "I cannot now, but I will as soon as I am 
 up." The magician was determined that he would have the 
 lamp before he would help him up, and Aladdin, who had 
 encumbered himself with so much fruit that he could not well 
 get at it, declared he could not give it to him till he was out of 
 the cave. Angry at his refusal, the magician threw a little in- 
 cense into the fire, and said two magical words. Then instantly 
 the stone which had closed the mouth of the staircase moved 
 back into its place, with the earth over it, in the same manner as 
 it lay at the arrival of the magician and Aladdin. 
 
 This proved to Aladdin that the man was not his uncle, but one 
 who had intended to do him evil. The truth was that the magician 
 had learned from his books of magic the secret and the value of 
 the wonderful lamp, the owner of which would be made richer 
 than any earthly ruler. This was why he came to China. His 
 book of magic also told him that he must not take the lamp him- 
 self, but must receive it from the hands of another person. For 
 this reason he employed young Aladdin, and hoped to make him 
 obedient to his word and will. When he found that his attempt 
 had failed, he set out to return to Africa, but avoided the town, 
 
ISO 
 
 lest any person who had seen him leave in company with Aladdin 
 should make inquiries after the youth. 
 
 Aladdin, being suddenly enveloped in darkness, cried, and called 
 out to his uncle that he was ready to give him the lamp, but his 
 cries could not be heard. He then descended to the bottom of 
 the steps to get into the palace, but the door, which had been 
 opened by enchantment, was now shut by the same means. 
 Aladdin was now in despair. He sat down on the steps without 
 any hopes of ever seeing light again, and in expectation of a 
 speedy death. In his great distress he said, "There is no 
 strength or power but in God;" and in joining his hands to pray 
 he rubbed the ring which the magician had put on his finger. 
 Immediately an enormous genie appeared, and said, "What 
 wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey thee. I serve him who 
 possesses the ring; I, and the other slaves of the ring." At an- 
 other time Aladdin would have been frightened at the sight of so 
 terrible a figure, but the danger he was in made him answer 
 without hesitation, "Whoever thou art, deliver me from this 
 place." He had no sooner spoken these words than he found 
 himself above ground, and there was no sign of opening or 
 disturbance of the earth. Returning thanks to God, he made 
 the best of his way home. When he got within his mother's 
 door, the joy to see her and his weakness for want of food 
 made him so faint that he remained for a long time as dead. 
 As soon as he recovered, he told to his mother all that had 
 happened to him, and they were both very angry at the conduct 
 of the cruel magician. 
 
 Aladdin slept very soundly till late the next morning, when the 
 first thing he said to his mother was that he wanted something 
 to eat, and wished she would give him his breakfast. "Alas! 
 child," said she, "I have not a bit of bread to give you; but I 
 have a little cotton, which I have spun; I will go and sell it, 
 and buy something for our dinner." "Mother," replied Alad- 
 din, "keep your cotton for another time, and give me the lamp 
 I brought home with me yesterday. I will go and sell it, and the 
 
money I shall get for it will buy us breakfast and dinner, and 
 perhaps supper, too." 
 
 Aladdin's mother took the lamp, and said to her son, "Here 
 it is, but it is very dirty; if it was a little cleaner I believe it 
 would bring something more." She then took some sand and 
 water to clean it, but she had no sooner begun to rub it than in 
 an instant a genie of gigantic size appeared before her, and said 
 in a loud voice, "What wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey 
 thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who hold that lamp 
 in their hands; I, and the other slaves of the lamp." 
 
 Aladdin's mother fainted at the sight of the genie, but Alad- 
 din, who had seen such a figure in the cave, snatched the lamp 
 out of his mother's hand, and said to the genie boldly, "I am 
 hungry; bring me something to eat." The genie disappeared 
 immediately, and in an instant returned with a large silver tray, 
 holding twelve covered dishes of the same metal, which contained 
 the most delicious food, six large white bread cakes on two plates, 
 and many other good things to eat and drink. All these the genie 
 placed upon a carpet, and then disappeared. 
 
 When Aladdin's mother recovered from her swoon she was 
 much surprised at seeing the tray and all it contained. "Child," 
 said she, "who has sent these things?" "It is no matter, 
 mother," answered Aladdin, "let us sit down and eat; when we 
 have done, I will tell you." Accordingly, both mother and son 
 sat down, and ate with the better relish as the table was so well 
 furnished. After their meal was finished, Aladdin told his 
 mother what had happened. On learning that the rubbing of 
 the lamp had caused the genie to appear, she advised her son 
 never to touch it again. "Take it out of my sight," said she, 
 "and put it where you please. I had rather you would sell it 
 than run the risk of being frightened to death again by touching 
 it. If you take my advice you will part with the ring also, and 
 not have anything to do with genies, who, as our prophet has 
 told us, are only devils." 
 
 ' ' Mother, ' ' replied Aladdin, ' ' the lamp may be useful to you 
 
152 
 
 and me. That wicked magician would not have made so long a 
 journey to get this wonderful lamp if it were not of great value. 
 And since we have honestly come by it, let us make good use of 
 it, without any great show, or causing envy and jealousy among 
 our neighbors. But as genies frighten you so much, I will take 
 the lamp out of your sight, and put it where I may find it when 
 . I want it. The ring I cannot part with, for without that you 
 never would have seen me again." Aladdin's mother replied 
 that he might do what he pleased; for her part, she would have 
 nothing to do with genies, and would never say anything more 
 about them. ^ 
 
 By the next night they had eaten all the provisions the genie 
 had brought, and the following morning Aladdin, putting one of 
 the silver dishes under his vest, went out to sell it. The mer- 
 chant to whom he brought it examined the dish, and, as soon as 
 he found that it was good silver, asked Aladdin how much he 
 wanted for it. Aladdin, who had never been used to such traffic, 
 told him he would trust to his honor. The merchant took a 
 piece of gold out of his purse and gave it to him. Though it 
 was but the sixtieth part of the worth of the plate, Aladdin was 
 glad to get it. On his way home he called at a baker's, bought 
 some bread, changed his money, and on his return gave the rest 
 to his mother, who went and purchased provisions enough to last 
 them some time. In this way they lived, till Aladdin had sold 
 the twelve dishes. 
 
 When all the money was spent Aladdin again took out the lamp 
 and rubbed it as before. The genie immediately appeared, and 
 said, "What wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey thee as thy 
 slave, and the slave of all those who hold that lamp in their 
 hands; I, and the other slaves of the lamp." "I am hungry," 
 said Aladdin; "bring me something to eat." The genie disap- 
 peared, and, instantly returning with a tray containing the same 
 number of covered dishes as before, set them down and again 
 vanished. When this new supply of provisions was consumed, 
 Aladdin sold the dishes, and in this way he and his mother con- 
 
Drawn by A. I. Keller. 
 
 ALADDIN SUMMONS THE GENIE. 
 
 (153) 
 
154 
 
 tinned to live until an event occurred which brought about a very 
 great change in their situation. 
 
 One day as Aladdin was walking about the town, he heard a 
 public crier commanding the people to shut up their shops and 
 houses, and keep within doors, while the Princess Buddir al Bud- 
 door, the sultan's daughter, went to the bath and returned. 
 Aladdin felt a strong desire to see the princess, who was a lady 
 of great beauty. He therefore concealed himself behind the 
 door of the bath, and the princess, as she passed in, took off her 
 veil, thus giving him an opportunity of having a full view of her 
 face. The moment he saw her he fell deeply in love with her, 
 and as soon as she entered the bath, he quitted his hiding place 
 and went home. His mother, seeing that he was more thought- 
 ful than usual, asked if anything had happened, or if he was ill. 
 He then told her his adventure, and declared that he was re- 
 solved to ask the sultan to give the princess to him in marriage. 
 
 Aladdin's mother listened with surprise and anxiety to what her 
 son told her. "Alas, child," said she, "what are you thinking 
 of ? You must be mad to talk thus." "I assure you, mother," 
 replied Aladdin, "I am not mad, but in my right senses. I am 
 resolved to demand the princess in marriage, and I do not de- 
 spair of success. I have the slaves of the lamp and of the ring 
 to help me, and you know how powerful they are. And I have 
 to tell you that those stones which I got from the trees in the 
 gardens of the underground palace, are jewels of immense value, 
 and fit for the greatest monarchs. None of the precious stones 
 the jewelers of Bagdad have are to be compared to mine for size 
 and beauty. I am sure that the offer of them will secure the 
 favor of the sultan, and it is you who must carry them to him as 
 a present from me. You have a large porcelain dish fit to hold 
 them; fetch it, and let us see how they will look, when we have 
 arranged them according to their different colors." 
 
 When the dish was brought and the jewels placed in it, 
 their richness and "brightness and beauty dazzled the eyes of 
 mother and son. Encouraged by the sight of them, the mother 
 
155 
 
 consented to go early next morning to the palace of the sultan. 
 Aladdin rose before daybreak, awakened his mother, and urged 
 her to set out at once, so as to get admittance, if possible, before 
 the grand vizier and the great officers of state went in to take 
 their seats in the divan, where the sultan always attended in 
 person. 
 
 She made haste accordingly, taking with her the china dish, in 
 which they had put the jewels wrapped in two fine napkins. 
 When she came to the gates, the grand vizier and lords of the 
 court were just gone in, but notwithstanding that the crowd of 
 people was great, she got into the divan, a spacious hall, the en- 
 trance to which was very magnificent. She placed herself just 
 before the sultan, and the great lords, who sat in council, on his 
 right and left hand. Several important matters were attended 
 to, according to their order, until the time the divan generally 
 broke up, when the sultan, rising, returned to his apartment, 
 accompanied by the grand vizier. The other viziers and minis- 
 ters of state then retired, as also did all those whose business had 
 called them thither. 
 
 Aladdin's mother, seeing the sultan retire, and all the people 
 depart, resolved to go home, and on her arrival said, with much 
 simplicity, "Son, I have seen the sultan, and I am certain that 
 he has seen me too, for I placed myself just before him; but he 
 was so much taken up with those who attended on all sides of 
 him that I pitied him, and wondered at his patience. At last I 
 believe he was heartily tired, for he rose up suddenly, and would 
 not hear a great many who were r&SKy to speftk to him, but went 
 away, at which I was well pleased, for indeed I was fatigued 
 with staying so long. But there is no harm done; I will go again 
 to-morrow ; perhaps the sultan may not be so busy. ' ' 
 
 The next morning she went to the palace as early as the 
 day before, but she found the gates of the divan shut. She 
 went six times afterwards and placed herself always directly be- 
 fore the sultan, but with as little success as on the first morning. 
 On the sixth day, however, after the divan broke up, when the 
 
1 5 6 
 
 sultan returned to his own apartment, he said to his grand vizier, 
 "I have for some time noticed a woman, who attends every day, 
 with something wrapped up in a napkin; she always stands from 
 the beginning to the end of the audience, and tries to place her- 
 self just before me. If this woman comes to our next audience, 
 do not fail to call her, that I may hear what she has to say." 
 
 On the next audience day, when Aladdin's mother went to the 
 divan, and placed herself in front of the sultan as usual, the 
 grand vizier immediately called an attendant, and, pointing to 
 her, bade him bring her before the sultan. The old woman, 
 when she reached the sultan, bowed her head down to the carpet 
 which covered the platform of the throne, and remained so till 
 he bade her rise, and when she had done so, he said to her, 
 "Good woman, I have seen you stand many days, from the begin- 
 ning to the rising of the divan; what business brings you here ? " 
 
 After these words, Aladdin's mother bowed down a second 
 time, and when she arose, she said, " King of kings, I beg of 
 you to pardon the boldness of my request, and to assure me that 
 you will not be offended." "Well," replied the sultan, "I will 
 forgive you, be it what it may," and no hurt shall come to you ; 
 speak boldly." She then told him the errand on which her son 
 had sent her, and the event which led to his making so bold a 
 request in spite of her advice. The sultan listened, without show- 
 ing the least anger, but, before he gave her an answer, asked 
 what she had in the napkin. She took the china dish which she 
 had set down at the foot of the throne, untied it, and presented 
 it to the sultan. 
 
 Great were his amazement and surprise when he saw so many 
 large and valuable jewels. He remained for some time lost in 
 admiration. At last, when he had recovered himself, he received 
 the present from her hand, saying, "How rich! how beautiful!" 
 After he had admired and handled them, one after another, he 
 turned to his grand vizier, and, showing him the dish, said, "Be- 
 hold ! admire ! wonder ! and confess that your eyes never beheld 
 such jewels before." The vizier was charmed. "Well," con- 
 
157 
 
 tinued the sultan, "what sayest thou to such a present ? Is it not 
 worthy of the princess my daughter ? And ought I not to bestow 
 her on one who values her at so great a price ?" "I own," re- 
 plied the grand vizier, "that the present is worthy of the prin- 
 cess, but I beg your Majesty to grant me three months before 
 you finally decide. I hope that before that time my son will be 
 able to make a nobler present than this Aladdin, who is an entire 
 stranger to your Majesty." The sultan granted his request, and 
 he said to the old woman, "Good woman, go home, and tell your 
 son that I cannot permit my daughter to marry for three months. 
 At the end of that time come again." Aladdin's mother 
 returned home much more pleased than she had expected to be, 
 and told her son with joy the answer she had received from the 
 sultan's own mouth. 
 
 On the very day that the three months ended, the mother of 
 Aladdin again went to the palace, and stood in the same place in 
 the divan. The sultan knew her at once, and ordered his vizier 
 to bring her up to him. The vizier at once did so. After bow- 
 ing down before the sultan, Aladdin's mother said, "Sire, I come 
 at the end of the three months to ask of you the fulfillment of 
 the promise you made to my son." The sultan little thought 
 that the request of Aladdin had been made in earnest, or that he 
 would hear any more of the matter. He, therefore, did not 
 know what answer to give to Aladdin's mother. But his vizier 
 advised him to ask Aladdin to do something which he thought it 
 was impossible for him to do. The sultan then said to Aladdin's 
 mother, "Good woman, it is true that sultans ought to keep their 
 word, and I am ready to keep mine by making your son happy 
 in marriage with- the princess, my daughter ; but I cannot do so 
 without some further proof that your son is able to support her 
 in royal state. You may tell him, therefore, that I will fulfill my 
 promise as soon as he shall send me forty gold trays, full of the 
 same sort of jewels you have made me a present of, and carried 
 by forty black slaves, led by the same number of young and 
 handsome white slaves, all dressed magnificently. When he does 
 
158 
 
 this, I shall bestow the princess, my daughter, upon him. Go and 
 tell him so, and I will wait till you bring me his answer. ' ' 
 
 Aladdin's mother bowed down before the sultan's throne, and 
 retired. On her way home, she laughed within herself at her 
 son's foolish hope. "Where," said she, "can he get so many 
 large gold trays, and such precious stones to fill them ? It is out 
 of his power." 
 
 When she came home she told Aladdin the conditions on which 
 the sultan consented to the marriage. ' ' He expects your answer 
 immediately," said she; and then she added, laughing, "I be- 
 lieve he may wait long enough! " "Not so long, mother, as you 
 think," replied Aladdin. "This demand is a mere trifle, and 
 will be no hindrance to my marriage with the princess. I will 
 prepare at once to satisfy his request." 
 
 Aladdin then retired to his own apartment, summoned the 
 genie of the lamp, and ordered him to immediately prepare the 
 gift, before the sultan closed his morning audience. The genie 
 vanished, and in a very short time, a train of forty black slaves, 
 led by the same number of white slaves, appeared opposite the 
 house in which Aladdin lived. Each black slave carried on his 
 head a gold basin, full of pearls, diamonds, rubies, and emer- 
 alds. Aladdin then said to his mother, " Pray lose no time. 
 Before the sultan and the divan rise, I would have you return to 
 the palace with this present for the princess. ' ' 
 
 As soon as the magnificent procession, with Aladdin's mother 
 at its head, began to march from Aladdin's house, the whole city 
 was filled with crowds of people eager to see so grand a sight. 
 The graceful bearing and elegant form of the slaves, their grave 
 walk at equal distance from one another, the luster of their 
 jeweled girdles, and the brilliancy of the precious stones in their 
 turbans, excited the greatest admiration in the spectators. 
 Nothing so beautiful was ever seen in the sultan's palace, and 
 the richest robes of the lords of his court were not to be com- 
 pared to the costly dresses of these slaves. 
 
 As the sultan, who had been informed of their approach, had 
 
159 
 
 given orders for them to be admitted, they met with no obsta- 
 cle, but went into the divan in regular order, one part turning to 
 the right, and the other to the left. After they had all entered, and 
 formed a semicircle before the sultan's throne, the black slaves 
 laid the golden trays on the carpet. They then bowed them- 
 selves down, touching the carpet with their foreheads, and the 
 white slaves did the same. When they rose, the black slaves 
 uncovered the trays, and all stood with their arms crossed over 
 their breasts. Aladdin's mother then advanced to the foot of 
 the throne, and said to the sultan, ''Sire, my son knows this 
 present is much below the notice of Princess Buddir al Buddoor, 
 but he hopes that your Majesty will accept of it, and make it 
 agreeable to the princess." 
 
 The sultan, overpowered at the sight of such magnificence, re- 
 plied to the words of Aladdin's mother, "Go and tell your son 
 that I wait with open arms to receive him. The more haste he 
 makes to come and accept the princess my daughter from my 
 hands, the greater pleasure he will do me." As soon as Alad- 
 din's mother retired, the sultan rose from his throne, and ordered 
 that the princess's attendants should come and carry the trays 
 into their mistress's apartment, where he went himself to examine 
 them with her at his leisure. The fourscore slaves were con- 
 ducted into the palace, and the sultan, telling the princess of 
 their magnificent apparel, ordered them to be brought before 
 her apartment, that she might see that he had not exaggerated 
 in his account of them. 
 
 In the mean time Aladdin's mother reached home, and showed 
 by her manner the good news she brought. ' ' My son, ' ' said 
 she, " you may rejoice. The sultan has declared that you shall 
 marry the Princess Buddir al Buddoor. He waits for you with 
 impatience." 
 
 Aladdin, delighted with this good news, retired to his chamber. 
 There he nibbed his lamp, and the genie appeared. ' ' Genie, ' ' 
 said he, " convey me at once to a bath, and supply me with the 
 richest and most magnificent robe ever worn by a monarch." 
 
i6o 
 
 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the genie trans- 
 ported him to a bath of the finest marble of all sorts of colors, 
 where he was undressed, without seeing by whom, in a magnifi- 
 cent and spacious hall. He was then well rubbed and washed 
 with various scented waters. After he had passed through sev- 
 eral degrees of heat, he came out quite a different man from what 
 he was before. His skin was clear as that of a child, and when 
 he returned to the hall, he found, instead of his own poor 
 clothes, a suit, the magnificence of which astonished him. The 
 genie helped him to dress, and carried him back to his own 
 chamber, where he asked him if he had any other commands. 
 " Yes," answered Aladdin, " bring me a horse that surpasses in 
 beauty the best in the sultan's stables, with a saddle, bridle, and 
 other trappings to correspond. Bring me also twenty slaves, to 
 walk by my side and follow me, and twenty more to go before 
 me in two ranks, all as richly dressed as those who carried the 
 present to the sultan. Besides these, bring my mother six 
 women slaves to attend her, as richly dressed as any of the Prin- 
 cess Buddir al Buddoor's, each carrying a complete dress fit for 
 any princess. I want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten 
 purses; go, and make haste." 
 
 As soon as Aladdin gave these orders, the genie disappeared, 
 but immediately returned with the horse, the forty slaves, ten 
 carrying each a purse of ten thousand pieces of gold, and six 
 women slaves, each carrying on her head a dress for Aladdin's 
 mother, wrapt in silver tissue. Aladdin presented the six women 
 slaves to his mother, telling her they were her slaves, and that 
 the dresses they brought were for her use. Of the ten purses, 
 he took four, which he gave to his mother, telling her those were 
 to supply her with necessaries. The other six he left in the 
 hands of the slaves who brought them, with an order to scatter 
 the gold pieces among the peopb as they went to the sultan's 
 palace. 
 
 Then, mounting his charger, Aladdin began his march, and 
 though he never was on horseback before, he appeared with a 
 
grace the most experienced horseman might envy. The vast 
 concourse of people through whom he passed made the air echo 
 with their cheers, especially every time the six slaves who carried 
 the purses threw handfuls of gold among them. 
 
 On Aladdin's arrival at the palace, the sultan was surprised to 
 find him more magnificently robed than he himself had ever 
 been. He was also surprised at his good looks and elegant man- 
 ner, which were so different from what he expected in the son of 
 one so humble as Aladdin's mother. He received him with joy, 
 and when Aladdin would have knelt at his feet the sultan held 
 him by the hand, and made him sit near his throne. He shortly 
 after led him, amidst the sounds of trumpets, and all kinds of 
 music, to a magnificent entertainment. The sultan and Aladdin 
 ate by themselves, and the great lords of the court, according to 
 their rank and dignity, sat at different tables. After the feast, 
 the -sultan sent for the chief judge, and commanded him to draw 
 up a contract of marriage between the Princess Buddir al Bud- 
 door and Aladdin. When the contract was drawn, the sultan 
 asked Aladdin if he would stay in the palace and have the mar- 
 riage ceremony performed that day. " Sire," said Aladdin, 
 " I beg you to permit me first to build a palace worthy to re- 
 ceive the princess your daughter. I pray you to grant me suffi- 
 cient ground near your palace, and I will have it completed with 
 the utmost speed." The sultan granted Aladdin's request, and 
 again embraced him, after which Aladdin took his leave with as 
 much politeness as if he had been bred up and always lived at 
 court. 
 
 As soon as he returned home, Aladdin retired to his chamber, 
 took the lamp, and summoned the genie, who immediately 
 appeared. " Genie," said he, " build me a palace fit to receive 
 the Princess Buddir al Buddoor. Let its walls be gold and silver 
 bricks laid alternately. Let each front contain six windows, and 
 let the lattices of these be enriched with diamonds, rubies, and 
 emeralds, so that they shall exceed everything of the kind ever 
 seen in the world. Let there be an inner and outer court in 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS II 8 R A 
 
1 62 
 
 front of the palace, and a spacious garden, but above all, let 
 there be a treasure-house, and fill it with gold and silver. Let 
 there be also kitchens and storehouses, and stables full of the 
 finest horses, with grooms, attendants, and slaves. Go and carry 
 out my wishes. ' ' 
 
 When Aladdin gave these commands to the genie, the sun was 
 set. The next morning at daybreak the genie presented him- 
 self, and carried Aladdin in a moment to the palace he had made. 
 The genie led him through all the apartments, where he found 
 officers and slaves, dressed according to their rank and the ser- 
 vices they were to perform. The genie then showed him the 
 treasury, which was opened by a treasurer. Here Aladdin saw 
 large vessels of different sizes, piled up to the top with money, 
 ranged all around the chamber. The genie then led him to the 
 stables, where there were some of the finest horses in the world, 
 and grooms busy in dressing them. They next went to -the 
 storehouses, which were filled with all sorts of provisions. 
 
 When Aladdin had examined every portion of the palace, he 
 said, " Genie, I now want a fine carpet for the princess to walk 
 upon from the sultan's palace to mine. Lay one down immedi- 
 ately." The genie disappeared, and what Aladdin desired 
 was done in an instant. The genie then returned, and carried 
 Aladdin to his own home. 
 
 When the sultan's porters came to open the gates, they were 
 amazed to find what had been an unoccupied garden filled up 
 with a magnificent palace, and a splendid carpet extending to it 
 all the way from the sultan's palace. They told the strange 
 news to the grand vizier, and soon it was carried to the sultan, 
 who exclaimed, " It must be Aladdin's palace, which I gave him 
 leave to build for my daughter. He has wished to surprise us, 
 and let us see what wonders can be done in only one night. ' ' 
 
 Aladdin, on being conveyed by the genie to his own home, 
 requested his mother to go to the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, 
 and tell her that the palace would be ready for her in the even- 
 ing. She went, attended by her women slaves, in the same order 
 
i6 3 
 
 as on the previous day. Shortly after her arrival at the prin- 
 cess's apartment, the sultan himself came in, and was surprised 
 to find her, whom he had known only as a poor woman, now 
 more richly dressed than his own daughter. This gave him a 
 higher opinion of Aladdin, who took such care of his mother, 
 and made her share his wealth and honors. Shortly after his 
 mother's departure, Aladdin, mounting his horse, left his old home 
 forever, and went to the palace in the same pomp as on the day 
 before. He did not forget to take with him the wonderful lamp, 
 to which he owed all his good fortune, nor to wear the ring 
 which had been of such use to him. The sultan entertained 
 Aladdin with the utmost magnificence, and at night, on the 
 conclusion of the marriage ceremony, the princess took leave of 
 the sultan her father, and went to her own palace. Bands of 
 music led the procession, followed by a hundred state ushers, 
 and the same number of black slaves, in two files, with officers 
 at their head. Four hundred of the sultan's young pages car- 
 ried torches on each side, which, together with the illuminations 
 of the sultan's and Aladdin's palaces, made the night as bright 
 as day. In this order, the princess, accompanied by Aladdin's 
 mother, and attended by her women slaves, proceeded on the 
 carpet which was spread from the sultan's palace to that of 
 Aladdin. On her arrival Aladdin was ready to receive her at the 
 entrance, and led her into a large hall, lighted with a vast num- 
 ber of wax candles. Here a grand feast was served up. The 
 dishes were of heavy gold, the vases, basins, and goblets were 
 gold also, and of beautiful workmanship, and all the ornaments 
 of the hall were of like splendor. Astonished to see such mag- 
 nificence, and so many costly things collected in one place, the 
 princess said to Aladdin, " I thought, prince, that nothing in the 
 world was so beautiful as my father's palace, but the sight of this 
 hall is sufficient to show me that I was mistaken. ' ' 
 
 In this magnificent palace Aladdin and the princess lived for 
 many years in great happiness, when the African magician, who 
 had for a long time dismissed from his mind all thought of the 
 
164 
 
 lamp, at last resolved to find out what had become of the tailor's 
 son. He therefore made a journey to the capital of China, 
 and soon after his arrival there he learned about the wealth of 
 the Prince Aladdin, and the splendid palace in which he lived. 
 When he saw the palace he felt certain that it was the genie, the 
 slave of the lamp, that had built it. He then made use of his 
 magic to find where the lamp was, whether Aladdin carried it 
 about with him, or kept it in the palace. To his great joy 
 he found that it was somewhere in the palace, but his magic 
 could not tell him in what particular part. " Very good," said 
 he, "I shall have the lamp, and I shall make Aladdin return to 
 his former mean condition. ' ' 
 
 The next day he learned from the superintendent of the khan, 
 or lodging house, where he stayed, that Aladdin had gone on a 
 hunting excursion, which was to last for eight days. The magi- 
 cian wanted to hear no more. He had his plans formed. He 
 went to a coppersmith, and bought a dozen copper lamps, hand- 
 some and well polished. Putting them into a basket which hung 
 on his arm, he went towards Aladdin's palace. As he came 
 near, he began crying, "New lamps for old lamps, who will 
 change old lamps for new ones ? " A crowd of children col- 
 lected, and hooted at him, thinking him a madman to offer new 
 lamps for old ones. The magician paid no heed to their hooting, 
 but still continued crying, " Who will change old lamps for new 
 ones?" Ha repeated this so often, walking backwards and 
 forwards in front of the palace, that the princess sent one of her 
 women slaves to' know what he cried. The slave returned laugh- 
 ing so heartily that the princess rebuked her. " Madam," 
 answered the slave, laughing still, " who can help laughing, to 
 see an old man with a basket on his arm, full of fine lamps, ask- 
 ing to change them for old ones ? " 
 
 Another female slave hearing this, said, " Now you speak of 
 lamps, there is an old one upon a shelf of the Prince Aladdin's 
 dressing room, and whoever owns it will not be sorry to find a new 
 one in its stead. If the princess chooses, she may have the pleas- 
 
i6 5 
 
 ure of trying if this old man is so silly as to give a new lamp for 
 an old one, without taking anything for the change. ' ' The prin- 
 cess, who knew not the value of this lamp, and the interest that 
 Aladdin had to keep it safe, commanded a slave to take it and 
 make the exchange. The slave obeyed, went out of the hall, 
 and, calling the African magician, showed him the old lamp, and 
 said, ' ' Give me a new lamp for this. ' ' The magician was quite 
 certain that it was the lamp he wanted. There could be no other 
 such in the palace, where every utensil was of gold or silver. 
 He snatched it eagerly out of the slave's hand, and, thrusting it 
 as far as he could into his breast, offered him his basket, and 
 bade him choose which he liked best. The slave picked out 
 one, and carried it to the princess. 
 
 Immediately the magician hastened down the least-frequented 
 streets, and having no more need for his lamps or basket, he left 
 them in a spot where nobody saw him. Then he walked till he 
 came to one of the city gates, and, going through the suburbs, at 
 length reached a lonely place, where he stopped till it became 
 quite dark. Here he pulled the lamp out of his breast, and 
 rubbed it. Instantly the genie appeared, and said, " What 
 wouldst thou have ? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and 
 the slave of all those who hold that lamp in their hands; I, and 
 the other slaves of the lamp." " I command thee," replied 
 the magician, " to carry me immediately, and the palace which 
 thou and the other slaves of the lamp have built in this city, with 
 all the people in it, to Africa. ' ' The genie made no reply, but 
 with the assistance of the other genies, the slaves of the lamp, 
 immediately conveyed him and the whole palace to the spot 
 where he had been ordered to carry it. 
 
 Early next morning, when the sultan, according to custom, 
 went to admire Aladdin's palace, his amazement was great to find 
 that it was not to be seen. He could not understand what 
 had become of it, or how so large a palace could vanish so soon, 
 and not leave the least trace behind. He ordered the grand 
 vizier to be sent for without delay. 
 
1 66 
 
 The grand vizier who, in secret, bore no good will to Aladdin, 
 gave it as his opinion that the palace had been built by magic, 
 and that Aladdin had made his hunting excursion an excuse for 
 its removal with the same suddenness with which it had been 
 erected. He induced the sultan to send a body of soldiers, 
 and have Aladdin seized as a prisoner. 
 
 On his son-in-law being brought before him, the sultan would 
 not hear a word from him, but ordered him to be put to death. 
 But the order caused so much discontent among the people, 
 whose love Aladdin had gained by his charities, that the sultan, 
 fearing a rebellion, was obliged to grant him his life. When 
 Aladdin found himself at liberty, he said to the sultan, " Sire, I 
 pray you to let me know the crime by which I have lost your 
 favor." " Your crime," answered the sultan, " wretched man! 
 do you not know it ? Follow me, and I will show you. ' ' The 
 sultan then took Aladdin into the apartment from which he was 
 accustomed to look at and admire his palace, and said, " You 
 ought to know where your palace stood; tell me what has 
 become of it. ' ' Aladdin, utterly amazed at the loss of his 
 palace, was speechless. At last recovering himself he said, "It 
 is true, I do not see the palace. It is vanished, but I had 
 no hand in its removal. I beg you to give me forty days, and 
 if in that time I cannot restore it, you may punish me as you 
 please." "I give you the time you ask," answered the sultan, 
 "but at the end of the forty days, forget not to present yourself 
 before me." 
 
 Aladdin went out of the sultan's palace in great distress of mind. 
 For three days he rambled about the city, asking all whom he 
 met if they had seen his palace, or could tell him anything of it. 
 On the third day he wandered into the country, and as he was 
 approaching a river, he accidentally stumbled, and in grasping 
 at a rock to save himself from falling, he rubbed his ring so hard 
 that immediately the same genie appeared whom he had seen in 
 the cave where the magician had left him. " What wouldst thou 
 have ? ' ' said the genie. ' ' I am ready to obey thee as thy 
 
i6 7 s 
 
 slave, and the slave of all those that have that ring on their 
 finger; I and the other slaves of the ring." 
 
 Aladdin, agreeably surprised at an offer of help so little ex- 
 pected, replied, " Genie, show me where the palace I caused to 
 be built now stands, or carry it back to where it first stood." 
 " I cannot do all that you have commanded," answered the 
 genie; " I am the slave only of the ring, and not of the lamp." 
 " I command thee, then," replied Aladdin, " by the power of the 
 ring, to carry me to the spot where my palace now stands." 
 These words were no sooner out of his mouth than the genie 
 transported him to Africa, into the midst of a large plain. There 
 his palace stood, at no great distance from a city, and the genie, 
 placing him exactly under the window of the princess's apart- 
 ment, left him. 
 
 Now it happened that shortly after Aladdin had been trans- 
 ported by the slave of the ring to the neighborhood of his pal- 
 ace, one of the attendants of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor 
 looking through the window, saw him and instantly told her mis- 
 tress. The princess, who could not believe the joyful tidings, 
 hastened herself to the window, and, seeing Aladdin, immediately 
 opened it. The noise of opening the window made Aladdin turn 
 his head that way, and seeing the princess, he saluted her with 
 the greatest delight. " To lose no time," said she, " I have 
 sent to have the private door opened for you; enter, and come 
 up." The door, which was just under the princess's apartment, 
 was soon opened, and Aladdin conducted into the chamber. It 
 is impossible to describe the happiness of both at seeing each 
 other. After embracing, and shedding tears of joy, they sat 
 down, and Aladdin said, " I beg of you, princess, to tell me 
 what has become of an old lamp which stood upon a shelf in my 
 dressing chamber. ' ' 
 
 " Alas ! " answered the princess, " I was afraid our misfor- 
 tune might have been owing to that lamp, and what grieves me 
 most is, that I was the cause of it. I was foolish enough to 
 change the old lamp for a new one, and the next morning 
 
1 68 
 
 I found myself in this unknown country, which I am told is 
 Africa." 
 
 " Princess," said Aladdin, " you have explained all by telling 
 me we are in Africa. I desire you only to tell me if you know 
 where the old lamp is." " The magician carries it carefully 
 wrapt up in his bosom," said the princess, " and this I can 
 assure you, because he pulled it out before me, and showed it to 
 me in triumph." " Princess," said Aladdin, " I think I have 
 found the means to regain possession of the lamp, on which all 
 my prosperity depends. To carry out my plan it is necessary for 
 me to go to the town. I shall return by noon, and will then tell 
 you what must be done by you. In the mean time, I shall dis- 
 guise myself, and I beg that the private door may be opened to 
 me at the first knock. " 
 
 When Aladdin went out of the palace, he looked round him 
 on all sides, and seeing a poorly dressed man, hastened after 
 him, and, when he overtook him, begged him to change clothes, 
 which the man agreed to. When they had made the exchange, 
 Aladdin entered the city, and going to a drug store, bought a 
 small quantity of a certain powder. Then returning to the pal- 
 ace, he entered at once by the private door. As soon as he 
 came into the princess's room, he said to her, " Princess, I shall 
 require your help in carrying out my plan. You must overcome 
 your dislike to the magician, and ask him to oblige you by taking 
 luncheon with you in your apartments. Before he leaves, invite 
 him to exchange drinks with you, which he, pleased at the honor 
 you show him, will gladly do. Then give him the cup con- 
 taining this powder. On drinking it he will instantly fall asleep, 
 and we will obtain the lamp, whose slaves will do all our bidding, 
 and restore us and the palace to the capital of China. ' ' 
 
 The princess obeyed her husband's instructions. She invited 
 the magician to an entertainment in her apartment, and she tried 
 all she could to please him. She asked him to drink with her, 
 taking care to give him the drugged cup. He drank it to the 
 very last drop, when he fell backwards lifeless on the sofa. Then 
 
169 
 
 the door was opened, and Aladdin admitted. The princess rose 
 from her seat, and ran to embrace him, but he stopped her, and 
 said, " Princess, retire to another apartment, and let me be left 
 alone, while I endeavor to transport you back "to China as speed- 
 ily as you were brought here. ' ' 
 
 When the princess, her women, and slaves had gone out of the 
 room, Aladdin shut the door, and going directly to the dead body 
 of the magician, he opened his vest, took out the lamp which 
 was carefully wrapped up, and rubbed it. The genie immedi- 
 ately appeared, and then Aladdin said, " Genie, I command 
 thee to transport this palace instantly to the place from which it 
 was brought here. ' ' The genie bowed his head in token of obe- 
 dience, and disappeared. Immediately the palace was trans- 
 ported into China, and its removal was felt only by two little 
 shocks, one when it was lifted up, the other when it was set 
 down, and both in a very short space of time. 
 
 On the morning after the restoration of Aladdin's palace, the 
 sultan was looking out of his window, and mourning over the fate 
 of his daughter, when he thought he saw the palace again. Look- 
 ing more closely he was convinced that it was his son-in-law's 
 palace he saw. He at once ordered his horse to be saddled, 
 which he mounted that instant, thinking that he could not make 
 haste enough to the place. 
 
 Aladdin rose that morning by daybreak, and dressing himself 
 most magnificently, went up into the hall of twenty-four win- 
 dows, from which he saw the sultan approaching. Hastening 
 down, he received him at the foot of the great staircase and led 
 him into the princess's apartment. The happy father embraced 
 her with tears of joy. After an explanation of all that had hap- 
 pened, he restored Aladdin to his favor, and expressed regret 
 for the harshness with which he had treated him. 
 
 Now, the 'magician, who was thus twice defeated in his at- 
 tempts to ruin Aladdin, had a younger brother, who was as 
 skillful a magician as himself. They communicated with each 
 other once a year, however far apart might be their places of 
 
I/O 
 
 residence. The brother, not having received as usual his annual 
 communication, consulted his books of magic, and by this means 
 found that his brother had been poisoned in the capital of the 
 kingdom of China, and that the person who had poisoned him 
 was of low birth, though married to a sultan's daughter. He 
 resolved to have revenge, and with this object he at once de- 
 parted for China. After crossing plains, rivers, mountains, de- 
 serts, and a long tract of country, he at length arrived there, and 
 took lodging at a khan. By his magic he soon discovered that 
 Aladdin was the person who had been the cause of the death of 
 his brother. He also found that there was in the city a woman 
 named Fatima, who had the power of performing miracles. As 
 he thought that this woman might be of use to him, he made 
 more inquiries as to who the woman was, and what sort of 
 miracles she performed. " What," said the person whom he 
 questioned, ' ' have you never seen her ? She is the wonder of 
 the whole town for her fasting and holy life. Except on Mon- 
 days and Fridays she never stirs out of her little cell, and when 
 she comes into the town she does a great deal of good; for there 
 is not a person who is sick but she cures with a touch of her 
 hand." 
 
 Finding out where this woman lived, the magician went at 
 night and killed her. Then he dyed his face so as to resemble 
 hers, and dressing himself in her clothes, he went straight to the 
 palace of Aladdin. As soon as the people saw him, they thought 
 he was the holy woman, and they gathered about him in a 
 crowd. Some begged his blessing, others kissed his hands, while 
 others, suffering from disease, stopped for him to lay his hands 
 upon them, which he did, muttering some words in form of 
 prayer, so that everybody took him for Fatima. He came at 
 last to the square before Aladdin's palace. The noise was so 
 great that the princess heard it, and asked what wa's the matter. 
 One of her servants told her that it was a great crowd of people 
 collected about the holy woman to be cured of their ailments by 
 the touch of her hands. 
 
The princess, who had often heard of this holy woman, but 
 had never seen her, wished to have some conversation with her, 
 so she ordered some of her attendants to have the person brought 
 into the palace. W T hen the pretended Fatima entered, the prin- 
 cess said, ' ' My good mother, I have one thing to request, which 
 you must not refuse me ; it is to stay with me, that I may learn 
 to lead a good life from your example." " Princess," said the 
 false Fatima, " I beg you not to ask what I cannot consent to 
 without neglecting my prayers." " That shall be no hindrance 
 to you," answered the princess, " I have a great many apart- 
 ments unoccupied; you shall choose which you like best, and 
 have as much time for your religious exercises as if you were in 
 your own cell. ' ' 
 
 The magician, who really wished to remain in the palace, 
 where he thought it would be easy for him to carry out his evil 
 design, made no further objection. He was conducted to the 
 suite of rooms which was to be occupied by him. After some 
 time the princess again sent for him, and he was brought into 
 the great hall of the palace, in which she was seated. " My 
 good mother," said she, " I am overjoyed to see so holy a wo- 
 man as yourself, who will confer a blessing upon this palace. 
 But now I am speaking of the palace, pray how do you like it ? 
 And before I show it all to you, tell me first what you think of 
 this hall." 
 
 The false Fatima looked at the hall from one end to the other. 
 When he had examined it well, he said to the princess, " As far 
 as I can judge, this hall is truly admirable; it wants but one 
 thing." " What is that, good mother? " asked the princess; 
 " I always believed it wanted nothing, but whatever it wants 
 shall be supplied." " Princess," said the false Fatima, " for- 
 give the liberty I take, but my opinion is, that if a roc's egg were 
 hung up in the middle of the dome, this hall would have no 
 equal, and your palace would be the wonder of the world." 
 " My good mother," said the princess, " what is a roc, and 
 where may I get a roc's egg ? " " Princess," replied he, " it is 
 
1/2 
 
 a bird of vast size, which inhabits the top of Mount Caucasus; 
 the person who built, your palace can get you an egg. ' ' 
 
 The princess thanked the false Fatima for what she believed 
 her good advice, and she talked with her upon other matters, 
 but could not forget the roc's egg. She resolved to request 
 Aladdin to get one, and so in the course of that evening she said 
 to him, " I have always believed that our palace was the most 
 magnificent and complete in the world, but I will tell you now 
 what it wants, and that is a roc's egg hung up in the middle of 
 the dome." " Princess," replied Aladdin, " it is enough that 
 you think it wants such an ornament; you shall see that there is 
 nothing which I would not do for your sake. ' ' 
 
 Aladdin left the princess that moment, and went up into the 
 hall of four-and- twenty- windows. Then pulling out of his bosom 
 the lamp, which he now always carried about him, he rubbed it. 
 The genie immediately appeared, and Aladdin said> "Genie, I 
 command thee in the name of this lamp, bring a roc's egg to be 
 hung up in the middle of the dome of the hall of the palace. ' ' 
 The moment Aladdin uttered these words the hall shook as if ready 
 to fall, and the genie said in a loud and terrible voice, " Is it 
 not enough that I and the other slaves of the lamp have done 
 everything for you, but you must command me to bring my 
 master, and hang him up in the middle of this dome ? This 
 attempt deserves that you, the princess, and the palace, should 
 be immediately reduced to ashes, but you are spared because the 
 request does not come from yourself. Its true author is the 
 brother of the African magician. He is now in your palace, 
 disguised in the dress of the holy woman Fatima, whom he has 
 murdered. It is he that told your wife to make this dangerous 
 demand. His purpose is to kill you, therefore take care of 
 yourself." After these words the genie disappeared. 
 
 Aladdin resolved at once what to do. He returned to the 
 princess's apartment, and, without mentioning what had hap- 
 pened, sat down, and complained of a great pain in his head. 
 On hearing this, the princess told him how she had invited the 
 
173 
 
 holy Fatima who could cure all diseases, to stay with her, and 
 that she was now in the palace. At the request of Aladdin the 
 princess immediately sent for the supposed woman. When the 
 pretender appeared, Aladdin said, " Come here good mother, I 
 am glad to see you. I am tormented with a violent pain in my 
 head and I hope you will not refuse to cure me. ' ' So saying he 
 arose, but held down his head. The false Fatima advanced 
 toward him, with his hand all the time on a dagger concealed in 
 his girdle under his gown. Aladdin, seeing the dagger, snatched 
 the weapon out of the magician's hand, pierced him to the heart, 
 and then pushed him down on the floor. 
 
 " My dear prince, what have you done ? " cried the princess, 
 in surprise, " You have killed the holy woman." " No, my 
 princess," answered Aladdin, " I have not killed Fatima, but a 
 villain who would have killed me if I had not prevented him. 
 This wicked man is the brother of the magician who attempted 
 our ruin. He killed the true Fatima and disguised himself- in 
 her clothes with intent to murder me. ' ' Aladdin then informed 
 her how the genie had told him these facts, and how narrowly 
 she and the palace had escaped destruction through the magi- 
 cian's proposal about the roc's egg. 
 
 Thus was Aladdin saved from the evil designs of the two magi- 
 cians. Within a few years afterwards the sultan died at a good 
 old age, and as he had no male children, the Princess Buddir al 
 Buddoor succeeded him, and she and Aladdin reigned together 
 many years in great happiness and prosperity. 
 
 STORY OF PRINCE ZEYN ALASNAM AND THE SUL- 
 TAN OF THE GENIES. 
 
 There was once a sultan of Bussorah, who was very rich and 
 very much loved by his people. He had only one cause of un- 
 happiness, and that was that he had no children. He therefore 
 gave large alms to pious dervjses, that they might pray to God 
 
174 
 
 to send him a son. Their prayers were heard, and a son was 
 born to him and his queen, whom he named Zeyn Alasnam. 
 
 After his son's birth, the sultan called together a number of 
 learned men and magicians, to find out from them what would 
 be the young prince's fortune in life. They said that he would 
 live long, and be very brave, but that all his courage would be 
 little enough to carry him through the difficulties and troubles 
 he would meet. The sultan was not uneasy at this prediction. 
 " My son," said he, " is not to be pitied, since he will be 
 brave. It is fit that princes should have a trial of misfortunes, 
 for by this they are better qualified to reign.'' 
 
 He caused Zeyn to be educated with great care, that he might 
 become an accomplished prince. But in a few years, while his 
 son was yet young, the sultan fell sick of a disease which his 
 physicians could not cure. Seeing that he was near death, he 
 sent for the prince, and gave him good advice as to how he should 
 rule when he should be sultan. 
 
 But soon after his father's death Prince Zeyn began to show 
 that he was unfit to govern a kingdom. He kept bad company, 
 and he appointed his youthful companions to the chief offices of 
 government. In this way he lost the respect of the people, and 
 spent all the money in his treasury. 
 
 The queen his mother, a wise princess, tried to correct her 
 son's conduct, telling him that if he did not soon take another 
 course, the people would rebel against him, and deprive him 
 of his crown and of his life. This very nearly happened. The 
 people began to complain against the government, and they 
 would have revolted, only that the sultan, before it was too late, 
 gave heed to his mother's advice. He dismissed his foolish 
 companions, and put in their places older and wiser men, who 
 knew how to manage affairs of state. 
 
 .-But all his money was now wasted, and he repented that he 
 had made no better use of it. He was so grieved that his mother 
 could not comfort him. One night he saw in a dream a venerable 
 old man coming towards him, who, with a smjling countenance 
 
said, " Zeyn, there is no sorrow that is not followed by joy, no 
 misfortune that does not bring some happiness. If you wish to 
 see the end of your troubles, set out for Grand Cairo where great 
 good luck awaits you." 
 
 The young sultan spoke of his dream to his mother, who only 
 laughed at it. " My son," said she, " would you leave your 
 kingdom and go into Egypt on the faith of a dream, which may 
 be a deception ?" " Why not," answered Zeyn, " do you think 
 all dreams are deceptions ? No, no, some of them are from 
 Heaven. My teachers have told me so. The old man who 
 appeared to me had something heavenly about his person. He 
 was such a one as our great prophet, Mohammed, is represented, 
 and I believe it was the prophet himself, who, pitying my dis- 
 tress, wishes to relieve it. I rely on the promise he has made 
 me, and am resolved to follow his advice." The queen en- 
 deavored to prevent him from doing so, but it was of no use. 
 He begged her to undertake the government in his absence, and 
 setting out one night privately from his palace, he took the road 
 to Cairo, alone and unattended. 
 
 After much fatigue he arrived at that famous city. Coming to 
 the gate of a mosque, he lay down to rest and fell asleep. In 
 his sleep he saw the same old man, who said to him, " I am 
 pleased with you, my son, because you have believed me. 
 I have not caused you to make this long journey with any other 
 purpose than to try you. I find you have courage. You deserve 
 that I should make you the richest and happiest prince in the 
 world. Return to Bussorah, and you shall find immense wealth 
 in your palace. No king ever possessed so rich a treasure." 
 
 Prince Zeyn was not pleased with this dream. " Alas," said 
 he to himself, when he awoke, " how much was I mistaken. 
 That old man, whom I took for our prophet, is a deception. 
 My mother was right. It is fortunate that I told no one but her 
 the object of my journey. I should become a jest to my people, 
 if they knew it." 
 
 Accordingly he set out again for his kingdom, and as soon as 
 
1 7 6 
 
 he arrived there the queen asked him whether he returned well 
 pleased. He told her all that had happened, and was so much 
 vexed for having been so foolish that the queen, instead of 
 reproving or laughing at him, comforted him. "Do not be 
 grieved, my son," said she; " if it be God's will that you should 
 have riches, you will have them without any trouble. Be con- 
 tented. All that I recommend to you is to be virtuous, and shun 
 vain pleasures, which have already nearly ruined you. Try to 
 make your people happy, and you will make yourself happy. ' ' 
 
 Sultan Zeyn promised that he would for the future follow his 
 mother's advice, and the advice of the wise viziers she had 
 chosen to assist him in the government. But the very night after 
 he returned to his palace he had another dream in which he 
 saw the old man, who said to him, " The time of your good 
 fortune is .come, brave Zeyn ; to-morrow morning, as soon as you 
 get up, take a little pickax, and dig in your father's closet; 
 there you will find a rich treasure." 
 
 As soon as the sultan awoke he got up, ran to the queen's 
 apartment, and with much eagerness told her his new dream. 
 " Really, my son," said the queen, smiling, " this is a very 
 strange old man. Have you a mind to believe him again ? 
 However, the task he puts on you now is not so bad as your long 
 journey." " Well, mother," answered the sultan, " I must own 
 that I believe in this dream. The old man has told me the 
 place where these treasures are. I would rather search and not 
 find than blame myself as long as I live for having, perhaps, 
 missed great riches, by being too unwilling to believe. ' ' 
 
 Having spoken thus he left the queen's apartment, caused a 
 pickax to be brought him, went alone into the late sultan's 
 closet, and immediately began to break up the floor. He re- 
 moved more than half the square stones it was paved with, but 
 yet saw not the least appearance of what he was searching for. 
 Ceasing work to take a little rest, he thought within himself, 
 " I am much afraid my mother has cause enough to laugh at 
 me." However, he took heart, and went on with his labor, 
 
177 
 
 when on a sudden he discovered a white slab, which he took up, 
 and under it he found a staircase of white marble. He immedi- 
 ately lighted a lamp, and went down the stairs into a room, the 
 floor of which was laid with tiles of chinaware, and the roof and 
 walls of which were crystal. The room contained four golden 
 tables, on each of which were ten urns of porphyry. He went 
 up to one of the urns, took off the cover, and found that it was 
 full of pieces of gold. He looked into all of the forty, one after 
 another, and found them also full of gold. 
 
 The queen, as may be imagined, was amazed when the sultan 
 gave her an account of what he had discovered. ' ' O my son ! ' ' 
 said she, " take heed you do not lavish away all this wealth fool- 
 ishly, as you have already lavished the royal treasure." " No 
 madam," answered Zeyn, " I will in future live in such a manner 
 as shall be pleasing to you. ' ' 
 
 Then the queen requested her son to conduct her to the won- 
 derful underground treasury, which the late sultan her husband 
 had made with such secrecy that she had never heard of it. 
 Zeyn led her to the closet, down the marble stairs, and into the 
 chamber where the urns were. She noticed everything very closely, 
 and in a corner spied a little urn of the same sort of stone as the 
 others. The prince had not before seen this urn. He at once 
 opened it and found that it contained a golden key. ' ' My son, ' ' 
 said the queen, ' ' this key certainly belongs to some other treasure ; 
 let us search well; perhaps we may discover the use it is for." 
 
 They then examined the chamber with the utmost care, and at 
 length found a keyhole in one of the panels of the wall. The 
 sultan immediately tried the key, and it opened the door, which 
 led into another chamber. In this chamber there were nine 
 pedestals of massive gold, on eight of which stood as many 
 statues, each of them made of a single diamond, and from them 
 darted such a brightness that the whole room was lighted up. 
 The ninth pedestal had upon it what was still more wonderful, 
 for it was covered with a piece of white satin, on which were 
 written these words : 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 12 
 
" Dear son, it cost me much toil to procure these eight 
 statues ; but though they are beautiful, you must understand 
 that there is a ninth in the world, which is more beautiful and 
 valuable than them all. It is worth more than a thousand 
 such as these. If you desire to be the owner of it, go to the 
 city of Cairo in Egypt. One of my old slaves, whose name is 
 Mobarec, lives there. You will easily find him. Visit him, 
 <and tell him all that has happened to you. He will conduct 
 jyou to the place where that wonderful statue is, which you will 
 obtain with safety." 
 
 The young sultan having read these words, said to the queen, 
 " I will set out for Grand Cairo. I am sure, mother, you will 
 not object." " No, my son," answered the queen, " I am not 
 against it. I am certain that you are under the protection of 
 our great prophet. He will not permit you to perish in this 
 journey." The prince made ready and set out, taking with 
 him a few attendants. 
 
 Nothing remarkable happened on the way. When he arrived 
 at Cairo, he inquired for Mobarec. The people told him that 
 he was one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the city, that he lived 
 like a great lord, and that his house was open, especially for 
 strangers. Zeyn went to the house, and knocked at the door. 
 It was opened by a slave who asked, " What is it you want, and 
 who are you?" "I am a stranger," answered the prince, 
 " and hearing much of the Lord Mobarec 's generosity, I have 
 come to take up my lodging with him. ' ' The slave desired 
 Zeyn to wait while he went to inform his master, who at once 
 ordered him to request the stranger to walk in. Returning to 
 the door, the slave told the prince he was welcome. 
 
 Zeyn went in, crossed a large court, and entered a hall magnifi- 
 cently furnished, where Mobarec received him very civilly. The 
 prince then said to Mobarec, " I am the son of the late sultan 
 of Bussorah, and my name is Zeyn Alasnam." " That sove- 
 reign," said Mobarec, " was formerly my master, but I never 
 knew of any children he had; what is your age? " " I am 
 
179 
 
 twenty years old," answered the sultan. " How long is it since 
 you left my father's court ? " " Almost two-and-twenty years," 
 replied Mobarec. "But how can you make me sure that you 
 are his son?" "My father," replied Zeyn, "had a secret 
 chamber under his closet, in which I have found forty porphyry 
 urns full of gold. " " And what more is there ? ' ' asked Mobarec. 
 " There are," answered the prince, " nine pedestals of massive 
 gold, on eight of which are as many diamond statues. On the 
 ninth there is a piece of white satin, on which my father has 
 written what I am to do to obtain another statue, more valuable 
 than all those together. You know where that statue is, for it is 
 said on the satin that you will conduct me to it. ' ' 
 
 As soon as he had spoken these words, Mobarec fell down at 
 his feet, and, kissing one of his hands several times, said, " I 
 bless God for having brought you here. I now know you to be 
 the sultan of Bussorah's son. 1 will conduct you to the place 
 where the wonderful statue is, but you must first rest here a 
 few days. This day I am entertaining the great men of the city 
 at a banquet. Will you come and be merry with us ? " "I 
 shall be very glad," replied Zeyn,-" to be admitted to your 
 feast." Mobarec immediately led him into a grand hall where 
 the company was, seated him at the table, and went on his knees 
 when serving him. The great men present were surprised, and 
 whispered to one another, " Who is this stranger, to whom 
 Mobarec pays so much respect ? ' ' 
 
 When they had dined, Mobarec, addressing the company, 
 said, " My friends, this young stranger is the son of the sultan 
 of Bussorah, my late master. His father purchased me, and 
 died without making me free, so I am still a slave, and all 
 I have belongs to this young prince, his sole heir." Here 
 Zeyn stopped him and said, " Mobarec, I declare, before all 
 these guests, that I make you free from this moment, and that 
 I give up all right to your person, and all you possess." Mo- 
 barec bowed down to the ground, and returned the prince most 
 hearty thanks. 
 
i8o 
 
 The next day Zeyn said to Mobarec, " I have taken rest 
 enough. I came to Cairo not for pleasure. My purpose is to 
 obtain the ninth statue. It is time for us to set out in search of 
 it." " Sir," said Mobarec, " I am ready to comply with your 
 request, but you know not what dangers you must meet before 
 you get the statue." " Whatever the danger may be," 
 answered the prince, " I have resolved to make the attempt. 
 I will either perish or succeed. All that happens in this world is 
 by God's direction." 
 
 Mobarec, seeing that he was resolved to go, ordered his ser- 
 vants to make preparations for the journey, and as soon as all 
 was ready they started. They traveled many days, and at length, 
 having come to a delightful spot, they alighted from their 
 horses. Mobarec then said to the servants that attended them, 
 "Do you remain here till we return;" and he said to Zeyn, 
 "Now, sir, let us go on by ourselves. We are near the dreadful 
 place where the ninth statue is kept. You will presently need 
 all your courage. ' ' . 
 
 They soon came to a vast lake. Mobarec sat down on the 
 brink of it, saying to the prince, " We must cross this lake." 
 " How can we," answered Zeyn, " when we have no boat ? " 
 " You will see one appear in a moment," replied Mobarec; 
 " the enchanted boat of the sultan of the genies will come for 
 us. But you must keep strict silence. Do not speak to the boat- 
 man, though he seem strange to you. Whatever extraordinary 
 circumstance you observe, say nothing, for I tell you that if you 
 utter one word when we are embarked, the boat will sink." 
 " I shall take care to be silent," said the prince; " you need 
 only tell me what I am to do, and I will strictly comply." 
 
 While they were talking, he saw on a sudden a boat in the 
 lake, made of red sandalwood. It had a mast of fine amber, and 
 a blue satin flag. There was only one boatman in it, who had 
 the head of an elephant and the body of a tiger. When the boat 
 came up to the prince and Mobarec, the boatman took them in, 
 one after the other, with his trunk, and carried them over the 
 
lake in a moment. He then took them up with his trunk, set 
 them ashore, and immediately disappeared with his boat. 
 
 " Now we may talk," said Mobarec. " The island we are in 
 belongs to the king of the genies. Look around you, prince; 
 can there be a more delightful spot ? See the fields adorned 
 with all sorts of flowers and plants; admire those beautiful trees, 
 whose branches bend down to the ground; hear those songs 
 from a thousand birds of as many various sorts, unknown in other 
 countries. ' ' Zeyn was delighted with the beauties he saw, and 
 he saw new beauties as he advanced farther into the island. 
 
 At length they came before a palace built of emeralds, sur- 
 rounded by a wide moat, on the banks of which were trees so 
 tall that they shaded the whole building. The gate was of mas- 
 sive gold, and was approached by a bridge formed of one single 
 shell of a fish, thirty feet long, and eighteen in breadth. At the 
 head of the bridge stood a company of very tall genies, who 
 guarded the entrance into the castle with great clubs of steel. 
 
 "Let us go no farther at present," said Mobarec; "these 
 genies might destroy us, and in order to prevent their coming 
 near us we must perform a magical ceremony. ' ' Then Mobarec 
 laid on the ground two large mats, on the edges of which he scat- 
 tered some precious stones, rnusk, and amber. Afterwards he 
 sat down on one of the mats, and Zeyn on the other, and then 
 he said to the prince, " I shall now, sir, summon the sultan 
 of the genies, who lives in the palace that is before us. If our 
 coming into this island is displeasing to him, he will appear in 
 the shape of a dreadful monster, but if he approves of our com- 
 ing, he will show himself in the shape of a handsome man. As 
 soon as he appears before us, you must rise and salute him, 
 without going off your mat, for you would certainly perish should 
 you stir from it. You must say to him, 'Lord of the genies, I wish 
 your Majesty may protect me, as you always protected my father; 
 and I most humbly beg of you to give me the ninth statue.' ' 
 
 Immediately after Mobarec ceased speaking, their eyes were 
 dazzled by a long flash of lightning, which was followed by a clap 
 
1 82 
 
 of thunder. The whole island was covered with a thick darkness, 
 a furious storm of wind blew, a dreadful cry was heard, and the 
 island felt a shock, as if of an earthquake. Then the sultan of 
 the genies appeared in the shape of a very handsome man, yet 
 there was something terrific in his air. 
 
 As soon as King Zeyn bowed down before him and spoke as 
 he had been taught by Mobarec, the sultan of the genies, smil- 
 ing, said, " My son, I loved your father, and every time he 
 came to pay me his respects, I presented him with a statue, which 
 he carried away with him. I have no less kindness for you. 
 I wrote for your father, some days before he died, that which 
 you read on the piece of white satin. I promised him to take 
 you under my protection, and to give you the ninth statue, which 
 in beauty surpasses those you have already. I had begun to per- 
 form my promise to him, for it was I you saw in a dream in the 
 shape of an old man. I caused you to open the underground 
 place where the urns and the statues are deposited. I know 
 what brought you here; you shall obtain what you desire, on 
 certain conditions. You must return with Mobarec, and you 
 must promise to come again to me, and to bring with you a 
 young maiden who has reached her fifteenth year, and who has 
 never had a wish to be married. She must also be perfectly 
 beautiful, and you must not even desire as you are bringing her 
 here to make her your queen. I will give you a looking-glass, 
 which will clearly reflect no other image than that of the young 
 maiden you are in search of. Now promise me to observe these 
 conditions, and keep your promise like a man of honor; otherwise, 
 I will take away your life, notwithstanding the kindness I have 
 for you. ' ' Zeyn Alasnam gave the promise required, and vowed 
 that he would faithfully keep his word. 
 
 The sultan of the genies then gave him a looking-glass, saying, 
 " My son, you may return when you please; there is the glass 
 you are to use. ' ' Zeyn and Mobarec took leave of the sultan of 
 the genies, and went towards the lake. The boatman with the 
 elephant's head brought the boat, and ferried them over the lake 
 
183 
 
 as he had done before. They joined their servants, and returned 
 with them again to Cairo. The young sultan rested a few days 
 at Mobarec's house, and then said to him, " Let us go to Bag- 
 dad, to seek a maiden for the sovereign of the genies." " Why, 
 are we not at Grand Cairo? " said Mobarec. " Shall we not 
 find beautiful maidens here ? " " You are right," answered the 
 prince; " but how shall we find where they are ? " "Do not 
 trouble yourself about that," answered Mobarec; " I know a 
 very wise old woman, who will help us in the matter." 
 
 The old woman found means to show King Zeyn a number of 
 beautiful maidens of fifteen years of age; but when he had 
 viewed them, and tried his looking-glass, the glass always 
 appeared dim. All the maidens in the city who were in their 
 fifteenth year underwent the trial, one after another, but the 
 glass never remained bright and clear. When they saw that the 
 maiden was not to be found in Cairo, they went to Bagdad, and 
 there they hired a magnificent palace, and soon made acquaint- 
 ance with the chief people of the city. 
 
 There lived at Bagdad at this time an imaum much noted for 
 his charity. His name was Boubekir Muezin. Mobarec went 
 to him and gave him a purse of five hundred gold pieces, in the 
 name of Prince Zeyn, to distribute among the poor. On the 
 next day, Boubekir Muezin waited on Prince Zeyn to return to 
 him his thanks. On hearing the purpose of his visit to Bagdad, 
 he told him of a maiden, the daughter of a former vizier of Bag- 
 dad, who, he thought, would be found suitable, according to the 
 conditions proposed. He offered to ask her from her father, 
 if the prince would accompany him to her father's mansion. The 
 prince did so, and the vizier, as soon as he was told who the prince 
 was, and the reason of his visit, called his daughter, and made 
 her take off her veil. Never had the young sultan of Bussorah 
 beheld such a perfect and striking beauty. Then he pulled 
 out his glass, and it remained bright and clear. 
 
 When he saw that he had at length found the person he wanted, 
 he entreated the vizier to grant her to him. The vizier con- 
 
1 84 
 
 sented, and immediately a judge was sent for, and the marriage 
 contract was drawn and signed. After this ceremony, Zeyn 
 conducted the vizier to his house, where he treated him magnifi- 
 cently, and gave him rich presents. Next day Mobarec brought 
 the bride to Zeyn's house, and said to him, " Let us not stay any 
 longer at Bagdad, but return to Cairo; remember the promise 
 you made the sultan of the genies. " " Let us go," answered 
 the prince; " I must take care to perform it exactly, yet I must 
 confess, my dear Mobarec, that if I obey the sultan of the 
 genies, it is not without regret. The lady I have married is so 
 charming that I am tempted to carry her to Bussorah, and place 
 her on the throne." "Dear prince," answered Mobarec, " I 
 entreat you to keep your promise to the sultan of the genies. ' ' 
 " Well then, Mobarec," said the prince, " you must take care to 
 conceal the lovely maiden from me; let her never again appear 
 in my sight." 
 
 Mobarec then made all ready for their departure. They re- 
 turned to Cairo, and from there set out for the island of the 
 sultan of the genies. When they arrived, the lady said to Mo- 
 barec, " Where are we ? Shall we be soon in the kingdom of 
 the prince my husband?" "Madam," answered Mobarec, 
 " it is time to tell you the truth. Prince Zeyn married you only 
 to get you from your father; he did not promise to make you 
 queen of Bussorah, but to give you to the sultan of the genies, 
 who asked of him a maiden of your loveliness and purity." At 
 these words, she began to weep bitterly. " Take pity on me," 
 said she; " I am a stranger; you will have to answer to God for 
 your conduct towards me. ' ' 
 
 Her tears were, however, of no avail. She was presented to 
 the sultan of the genies, who, having looked at her with atten- 
 tion, said to Zeyn, " Prince, I am satisfied with your behavior; 
 the maid you have brought me is beautiful and good, and I am 
 pleased with the restraint you have put upon yourself to fulfill 
 your promise to me. Return to your kingdom, and when you 
 enter the underground room, where the eight statues are, you 
 
i85 
 
 shall find the ninth which I promised you. I will make my 
 genies carry it there. ' ' Zeyn thanked the king of the genies, 
 and returned to Cairo with Mobarec, but did not stay long in 
 Egypt, for his impatience to see the ninth statue made him 
 hasten his departure. He could not, however, think without re- 
 gret of the maiden he had married, and he blamed himself for hav- 
 ing deceived her. " Alas ! " said he, "I have taken her from 
 a tender father, to give her to a genie. Oh, beautiful lady ! 
 you deserve a better fate. ' ' 
 
 Sultan Zeyn, disturbed with these thoughts, at length reached 
 Bussorah, w'here his people made extraordinary rejoicings for his 
 return. He went directly to give an account of his journey to 
 his mother, who was delighted to hear that he had obtained the 
 ninth statue. " Let us go, my son," said she, " let us go and 
 see it, for it is certainly in the underground chamber, as the sul- 
 tan of the genies said you should find it there. ' ' The young sul- 
 tan and his mother then went down into the room of the statues. 
 Great was their surprise when, instead of a statue of diamonds, 
 they saw on the ninth pedestal a most beautiful lady, whom the 
 prince knew to be the maid he had given to the sultan of the 
 genies. " Prince," said the maid, " you are surprised to see 
 me here. You expected to find something more precious, and I 
 suppose you now regret having taken so much trouble; you ex- 
 pected a better reward." " Madam," answered Zeyn, " I de- 
 clare to you that more than once I had nearly broken my word 
 with the sultan of the genies, to keep you to myself. Whatever be 
 the value of a diamond statue, I love you above all the dia- 
 monds and wealth in the world. ' ' 
 
 Just as he had done speaking, a clap of thunder was heard, 
 which shook the palace. Zeyn's mother was alarmed, but the 
 sultan of the genies immediately appearing, she was no longer 
 afraid. " Madam," said he to her, " I protect and love your 
 son. I wished to try whether at his age he could control him- 
 self. This lady is the ninth statue I intended for him; it is more 
 precious than the others. Live, ' ' said he to the young prince, 
 
1 86 
 
 "live happily, Zeyn, with this your wife, and if you would have 
 her true and constant to you, love her always, and love her 
 only." 
 
 Having spoken these words, the sultan of the genies vanished, 
 and Zeyn, delighted with his young wife, caused her the same 
 day to be proclaimed queen of Bussorah, over which they reigned 
 together in happiness all their lives. 
 
 STORY OF PRINCE AHMED AND THE FAIRY PERIE 
 
 BANOU. 
 
 There was once a sultan of India, who, after a long reign, 
 reached a good old age. He had three sons and one niece. 
 The eldest son was called Houssain, the second Ali, and the 
 youngest Ahmed. His niece was called Nouronnihar. She was 
 the daughter of a favorite brother of his who died young. She 
 was brought up in her uncle's palace from her childhood, and 
 was remarkable for her cleverness and her beauty. 
 
 When Nouronnihar came of age, the sultan wished her to 
 marry a neighboring prince, but he found that all the three 
 princes, his sons, loved her and wished to marry her. This 
 grieved him very much on account of the trouble and discord it 
 would cause among his sons. He spoke to each of them apart, 
 telling them it was impossible for one princess to be the wife of 
 three persons, and he tried to make them consent to abide by 
 the decision of the princess herself in favor of some one of them. 
 But he could not get them to agree to this, so he sent for them 
 all together, and he said, " I have a way of settling this matter 
 which I think will please you all. I propose that you travel 
 separately into different countries, so that you may not meet 
 each other, and I promise my niece in marriage to him who 
 shall bring me the greatest curiosity. I will give each of you a 
 sum of money for the purchase of the thing you shall search 
 after, and for the payment of your traveling expenses." 
 
1 8 7 
 
 The three princes consented to this proposal, each hoping that 
 fortune would prove favorable to him. The sultan then gave 
 them the money he promised, and early next morning they all 
 went out at the same gate of the city, each dressed like a mer- 
 chant, attended by an officer dressed as a slave, and all well 
 mounted and equipped. They went the first day's journey to- 
 gether, and at night, when they were at supper, they agreed to 
 travel for a year, and to meet that day twelve months at the 
 khan where they were then stopping, the first who came to wait 
 for the rest, so that as they had taken leave of the sultan to- 
 gether, they might return in company. The next morning by 
 break of day, after they had embraced and wished each other 
 good success, they mounted their horses, and each took a differ- 
 ent road. 
 
 PRINCE HOUSSAIN AND THE CARPET. 
 
 Prince Houssain, the eldest brother, took the way towards the 
 Indian coast. After three months traveling, sometimes over 
 deserts and barren mountains, and sometimes through populous 
 and fertile countries, he arrived at Bisnagar, the capital of the 
 kingdom of that name, and the residence of its king. He 
 lodged at a khan where foreign merchants usually put up, and he 
 soon learned that there were four principal markets, where mer- 
 chants of all sorts kept their stores. These markets were situ- 
 ated on a large extent of ground, in the center of the city, in 
 the middle of which stood the king's palace, surrounded by three 
 courts, the gates of which were each distant six miles from the 
 other. 
 
 Prince Houssain went to one of the markets on the next day. 
 It was a large place, divided into several vaulted avenues, and 
 shaded from the sun, but well lighted. The stores were all of 
 the same size, and all who dealt in the same sort of goods lived 
 in one avenue. 
 
 After Prince Houssain had passed through that quarter, street 
 
1 88 
 
 by street, a merchant, seeing him go by, much fatigued, invited 
 him to sit down in front of his shop. He was not seated long 
 when a man appeared with a piece of carpet on his arm, about 
 six feet square, and crying it for sale at forty purses. The 
 prince called to the crier, and, after examining the carpet, told 
 him he could not understand why so small a piece of carpet 
 should be set at so high a price, unless it had something very 
 extraordinary in it, which he knew nothing of. " You have 
 guessed right, sir," replied the crier, " it has something very 
 extraordinary in it; whoever sits on this piece of carpet may be 
 carried in an instant wherever he wishes to be." " If the car- 
 pet," said the prince to the crier, " has the power you say, I 
 shall not think forty purses too much." " Sir," replied the 
 crier, " I tell you the truth, and with the leave of the master of 
 this store we will go into the back warehouse, and spread the 
 carpet, and sit down upon it. Then when you form a wish to be 
 carried to your apartment at the khan, if we are not there in an 
 instant, it shall be no bargain. ' ' 
 
 They then went into the merchant's back shop, where they both 
 sat down on the piece of carpet, and as soon as the prince formed 
 his wish to be carried into his apartment at the khan, he in an 
 instant found himself and the crier there. After this proof of 
 the power of the carpet, he counted to the crier forty purses of 
 gold, and gave him twenty pieces for himself. 
 
 Prince Houssain was overjoyed that he had so soon found so 
 rare a curiosity. He felt sure that it would gain him the possession 
 of Nouronnihar, as his younger brothers, he thought, could not 
 find anything to be compared with it. It was in his power, by 
 sitting on this carpet, to be at the place of meeting that very 
 day, but as he would have to wait there for his brothers, he pre- 
 ferred to make a longer stay in Bisnagar. He passed his time in 
 viewing the wonders of the city. Among the objects which were 
 most worthy of admiration, he visited a temple built entirely of 
 brass. Its greatest ornament was a statue the height of a man, 
 of massive gold, the eyes of which were two rubies, set so 
 
1 89 
 
 that it seemed to look at those who viewed it, on whatever side 
 they turned. 
 
 When Prince Houssain had seen all the wonders of Bisnagar, 
 he desired to be nearer home, and so he took the carpet and 
 spread it, and he and his officer sat down upon it. In a moment 
 after expressing their wish, they were carried to the khan at 
 which the brothers were to meet, and there the prince passed 
 for a merchant till the arrival of the others. 
 
 PRINCE ALI AND THE IVORY TUBE. 
 
 Prince AH, the second brother, after he parted with Houssain 
 and Ahmed, joined a caravan going to Persia, and in four 
 months arrived at Shiraz, the capital of that kingdom. On 
 the next morning after his arrival, while the merchants of the 
 caravan were opening their bales of merchandise, Prince AH 
 took a walk into that quarter of the town where they sold 
 precious stones, goods in gold and silver, brocades, silks, fine 
 linens, and other choice and valuable articles, for which Shiraz 
 was celebrated. 
 
 Among the criers who passed backwards and forwards with 
 samples of several sorts of goods, there was one who held in his 
 hand an ivory tube about a foot long and an inch thick. The crier 
 cried out that the price of the tube was forty purses. The 
 prince thought he was mad, and asked him what he meant by 
 asking forty purses for what seemed to be a thing of no value. 
 The crier replied, " Sir, you are not the only person that takes 
 me for a madman on account of this tube. You shall judge for 
 yourself whether I am or not, when I tell you its power. By 
 looking through this tube you can see whatever object you wish 
 to see. ' ' The crier then handed the tube to the prince, and he 
 looked through it, wishing at the same time to see the sultan his 
 father. Immediately he saw him, sitting on his throne, in the 
 midst of his council. Next he wished to see the Princess Nou- 
 
190 
 
 ronnihar, and instantly he beheld her laughing and talking with 
 her women attendants who were about her. 
 
 Prince AH needed no other proof to satisfy him that this tube 
 was the most valuable article in the world, so he took the crier to 
 the khan where he lodged, counted him out the money, and re- 
 ceived the tube. He was overjoyed at his purchase. He felt 
 certain that his brothers would not be able to get anything so 
 rare and admirable, and that he would win the Princess Nouron- 
 nihar. He thought now only of returning home, and when the 
 caravan was leaving Shiraz, he joined the party of merchants 
 with whom he had before traveled. He arrived happily without 
 any accident or trouble at the place appointed, where he found 
 Prince Houssain, and both waited for their brother Prince Ahmed. 
 
 PRINCE AHMED AND THE APPLE. 
 
 Prince Ahmed took the road to Samarcand, and the day after 
 his arrival in that city, he went into the market place. Here he 
 heard a crier, who had an artificial apple in his hand, cry it 
 at five-and-thirty purses. The prince stopped the crier, and 
 said to him, " Let me see that apple, and tell me what virtue it 
 possesses, to be worth so much money as you ask for it." 
 " Sir," replied the crier, giving it into his hand, " this apple is 
 not very remarkable, judged by its appearance, but if you con- 
 sider what it can do, you will say it is most valuable, and that he 
 who possesses it is master of a great treasure. It cures all sick 
 persons of every disease, and even if the patient is dying, it will 
 restore him to perfect health merely by smelling it. " "If one 
 may believe you," replied Prince Ahmed, " the apple is wonder- 
 ful, and is indeed most valuable, but how am I to know that 
 what you say is true ? " "Sir," replied the crier, " What I tell 
 you is known to the whole city of Samarcand. Ask these mer- 
 chants you see in the stores and hear what they say. Several of 
 them will tell you that they would not be alive to-day if they had 
 not made use of this apple. ' ' 
 
While the crier was talking to Prince Ahmed many persons 
 gathered round, and one of them said that he had a friend danger- 
 ously ill, whose life was despaired of. Here was an opportunity 
 to show what the apple could do, so Prince Ahmed told the crier 
 that he would give him forty purses for it if it cured the sick 
 person by smelling it. "Come, sir," said the crier to Prince 
 Ahmed, " let us go and make the trial, and the apple shall be 
 yours." They immediately went to the sick man, who, the 
 moment he smelled the apple, was perfectly cured, and got up 
 and walked about, as well as ever. At once the prince counted 
 out the money to the crier, and took the apple. 
 
 He then spent some time in seeing all that was worth seeing 
 in and around Samarcand, and principally the valley of Sogd, 
 which is considered by the Arabians to be one of the four para- 
 dises of the world, because of the beauty of its fields, gardens, 
 and palaces. Soon afterwards he joined a caravan that was about 
 to set out for India, and he arrived safely at the khan where the 
 Princes Houssain and Ali waited for him. 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE AHMED AND 
 THE FAIRY PERIE BANOU. 
 
 When Prince Ahmed joined his brothers, they embraced with 
 tenderness, and complimented one another on the happiness of 
 meeting together in safety at the same place they had set out 
 from. Houssain, the eldest brother, then said, " Brothers, we 
 shall have time enough hereafter to describe our travels. Let us 
 come to that which is of the greatest importance for us to know, 
 and not conceal from each other the curiosities we have brought, 
 but sho^ them, that we may ourselves judge which of them our 
 father will think the best. The curiosity I have brought from 
 the kingdom of Bisnagar is the carpet on which I sit. It looks 
 nothing more than an ordinary piece of carpet, but its power is 
 wonderful. Whoever sits on it, and wishes to be carried to any 
 
place, no matter how distant, is immediately carried there. It 
 was on it that I and my attendant came here from Bisnagar, and 
 we performed the journey in the twinkling of an eye. I paid 
 forty purses for it, and I think you will allow that it is value for 
 the money. I expect now that you will tell me whether what 
 you have brought is to be compared with this carpet." 
 
 Prince AH next spoke. " I must own, brother," said he, 
 " that your carpet is a most surprising curiosity. But you will 
 allow that there may be other rarities at least as wonderful. 
 Here is an ivory tube, which appears to the eye no more a curi- 
 osity than your carpet. It cost me forty purses, and I am as 
 well satisfied with my purchase as you are with yours; for on 
 looking through this tube you can see whatever object you wish 
 to behold. I would not have you take my word for proof," 
 added Prince Ali, presenting the tube to Houssain; " there it is; 
 make trial of it yourself. ' ' 
 
 Houssain took the ivory tube from Prince Ali, and looked 
 through it, at the same time expressing a wish to see the Princess 
 Nouronnihar. Ali and Ahmed kept their eyes fixed upon him, 
 and were extremely surprised to see his face suddenly show signs 
 of extraordinary alarm and trouble. Prince Houssain did not give 
 them time to ask what was the matter, but cried out, "Alas! 
 princes, what was the good of our long and fatiguing journeys, 
 with the hope of being rewarded by obtaining the charming Nou- 
 ronnihar, when in a few moments that lovely princess will breathe 
 her last ! I have just seen her in bed, surrounded by her women, 
 all in tears, who seem to expect her death. Take the tube, see for 
 yourselves the miserable state she is in, and mingle your tears 
 with mine." Prince Ali took the tube and saw the princess as 
 Houssain had described ; then he gave the tube to Ahmed, who, 
 when he saw that the Princess Nouronnihar 's end was so near, 
 addressed his two brothers, and said, " Princes, the Princess 
 Nouronnihar, whom we all equally love, is indeed just at death's 
 door, but if we make haste and lose no time, we may preserve 
 her life. This apple which you see, cost the same sum as the 
 
193 
 
 carpet and the tube. It has a wonderful power. Its smell will 
 restore a sick person to perfect health, whatever be the disease. 
 I have tried it, and can show you its wonderful effect on the 
 Princess Nouronnihar, if we hasten to assist her." " If that be 
 all," replied Prince Houssain, " we cannot make more haste than 
 by carrying ourselves instantly into her chamber by means of my 
 carpet. Come, lose no time, sit down; it is large enough to 
 hold us all." 
 
 Without delay the Princes Ali and Ahmed sat down by Hous- 
 sain, and, all expressing the same wish, they were in a moment 
 transported into the Princess Nouronnihar 's chamber. The 
 presence of the three princes, who were so little expected, 
 alarmed the princess's women and guards, who could not under- 
 stand how three men should be so suddenly among them, for 
 they did not know them at first. The guards were ready to fall 
 upon them, as people who had got into a part of the palace 
 where they were not allowed to come ; but they soon found their 
 mistake. Prince Ahmed quickly rose off the carpet, went to the 
 bedside of the princess, and put the apple to her nostrils. She 
 instantly opened her eyes, and sitting up, asked to be dressed, 
 just as if she had awakened in the morning out of a sound 
 . sleep. Her women informed her that she was obliged to the 
 three princes her cousins, and particularly to Prince Ahmed, for 
 the sudden recovery of her health. She immediately expressed 
 her joy at seeing them, and thanked them all together, but after- 
 wards Prince Ahmed in particular. As she desired to dress, the 
 princes contented themselves with telling her how great a pleas- 
 ure it was to them to have come soon enough to save her from 
 the danger she was in, and then they retired. 
 
 While the princess was dressing, the princes went to see the 
 sultan their father. When they came to him, they found that he 
 had been informed of their unexpected arrival, and by what 
 means the princess had been so suddenly cured. He received and 
 embraced them with the greatest joy, both for their return and 
 for the wonderful recovery of the princess his niece, whom he 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 13 
 
i 9 4 
 
 loved as if she were his own daughter. The princes then pre- 
 sented to him the curiosities they had brought, Prince Houssain 
 his carpet, Prince Ali his ivory tube, and Prince Ahmed his apple, 
 and they begged of him to declare to which of them he would 
 give the Princess Nouronnihar, according to his promise; 
 
 The sultan of India, having heard all that the princes had to 
 say in favor of their curiosities, remained for some time silent, 
 considering what answer he should make. At last, addressing 
 them, he said, " I would declare for one of you, my sons, if 
 I could do it with justice. It is true, Ahmed, the princess my 
 niece is obliged to your wonderful apple for her cure, but let me 
 ask you whether you could have cured her if you had not known 
 by Ali's tube the danger she was in, and if Houssain's carpet had 
 not brought you to her so soon ? Your tube, Ali, made you and 
 your brothers aware of the illness of your cousin, but you must 
 grant that the knowledge of her illness would have been of no 
 service without the apple and the carpet. And as for you, 
 Houssain, your carpet would have been of little use if you had 
 not known of her illness by Ali's tube, or if Ahmed had not used 
 his apple. Therefore, as the carpet, the ivory tube, and the 
 apple have no preference over each other, but on the contrary, 
 as each had an equal share in her cure, I cannot grant the prin- 
 cess to any one of you. But I will try another plan to settle this 
 matter, and I will do it to-day. Let each of you get a bow and 
 arrow, and go to the plain where the horses are exercised. 
 I will soon join you, and I will give the Princess Nouronnihar to 
 him who shoots the farthest." 
 
 The three princes had no objection to the decision of the sul- 
 tan. They each provided themselves with a bow and arrow, and 
 went to the plain appointed, followed by a great number of 
 people. As soon as the sultan arrived, Prince Houssain, being 
 the eldest, took his bow and arrow, and shot first. Prince Ali 
 shot next, and his arrow went further than that of Houssain. 
 Prince Ahmed then shot, but nobody could see where his arrow 
 fell, and though he and all the people who were present searched 
 
195 
 
 for it, they could not find it. It was evident that he had 
 shot the farthest, but as his arrow could not be found, the 
 sultan decided in favor of Prince Ali, and he and the Princess 
 Nouronnihar were married a few days afterwards with great 
 magnificence. 
 
 Prince Houssain's grief was so great that he left the palace, 
 and, giving up all right to the crown, became a dervise. Prince . 
 Ahmed was also much grieved, but he did not retire from the 
 world like his elder brother. He was still greatly troubled about 
 his arrow, and he resolved to find out where it had gone. With 
 this object he went to the place where the arrows of Houssain 
 and Ali were picked up, and proceeding straight forward from 
 there, he looked carefully on both sides as he advanced. He 
 went so far that at last he began to think his labor was in vain, 
 yet he felt compelled to proceed, and he did so till he came to 
 some steep, craggy rocks which prevented further progress. At 
 the foot of these rocks he found an arrow, which, to his great 
 astonishment, he saw was the very arrow he had shot. " Cer- 
 tainly, ' ' said he to himself, ' ' neither I, nor any man living, could 
 shoot an arrow so far. There must be some mystery in this." 
 
 He then began to look about, and in a few minutes he saw an 
 iron door which seemed to be locked. But on pushing against the 
 door, it opened, and the prince saw a staircase down which he 
 walked, with his arrow in his hand. At first he thought he was 
 going into a dark place, but immediately he was surrounded by 
 light, and he found that he was in front of a magnificent palace. 
 At the same instant, a lady of majestic air and great beauty, 
 dressed in rich robes sparkling with jewels, appeared before him. 
 She was attended by a troop of maidens, all magnificently dressed. 
 As soon as Ahmed saw her, he hastened to pay his respects, but 
 the lady, addressing him first, said, " Enter, Prince Ahmed; you 
 are welcome." 
 
 After these words, the lady led Prince Ahmed into a noble 
 hall. She then sat down on a sofa, and when the prince, at her 
 request, seated himself near her, she said, " You know, as the 
 
196 
 
 Koran states, that the world is inhabited by genies as well as 
 men. I am Perie Banou, the daughter of one of the most pow- 
 erful of these genies. I know about your love and your travels. 
 The. artificial apple, which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet 
 which Prince Houssain purchased at Bisnagar, and the tube 
 which Prince AH brought from Shiraz, were of my contrivance. 
 You seemed to me to be worthy of a happier lot than to marry 
 the Princess Nouronnihar, and, that you might have it, I caused 
 your arrow to fly out of sight, and to strike against the rocks 
 near which you found it. It is in your power now to make your- 
 self happy." 
 
 As the fairy Perie Banou said these words in an affectionate 
 tone, the prince replied, " Should I have the fortune of making 
 you the partner of my life, I shall think myself the happiest of 
 men." " Then," answered the fairy, " you shall be my hus- 
 band, and I will give orders for the preparation of our marriage 
 and our wedding feast this evening. In the mean while I will 
 show you the apartments of my palace. ' ' 
 
 The fairy then led Ahmed through the grand rooms of the 
 palace, where he saw diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all sorts of 
 fine jewels, together with the richest furniture arranged in the 
 most elegant fashion. At last he entered the hall where the 
 cloth was laid for the feast. It was adorned with a great num- 
 ber of wax candles perfumed with amber. A large sideboard 
 was set out with all sorts of gold plate, so finely wrought that the 
 workmanship was much more valuable than the weight of the 
 gold. In this hall the prince and the fairy Perie Banou were 
 married, and then they sat down to the feast, which was accom- 
 panied by a concert of music, the finest that the prince had ever 
 heard. The fairy served Prince Ahmed with most delicious meats, 
 the like of which he had never before tasted. After the dessert, 
 which was of the choicest fruits and preserves, the fairy Perie 
 and Prince Ahmed rose and went to a dais, at the end of a hall, 
 where they sat upon cushions of fine silk, beautifully embroid- 
 ered. Then a great number of genies and fairies danced before 
 
I 9 7 
 
 them, and at last divided themselves into two rows, through 
 which the prince and the Perie passed to their chamber. 
 
 Every day spent with the fairy Perie was a continued feast, for 
 every day she provided new delicacies, new concerts, new dances, 
 new shows, and new amusements of every kind. These were all 
 so pleasing to Prince Ahmed that in a thousand years among 
 human beings he could not have experienced equal enjoyment. 
 
 At the end of six months, the prince felt a great desire to visit 
 the sultan his father, and know how he was. He mentioned his 
 wish to Perie Banou, but she was much alarmed, lest this was an 
 excuse to leave her, and she begged him not to go. " My 
 queen," replied the prince, " I did not make the request with 
 any intention of displeasing you, but through respect for my 
 father, who, as I have reason to think, believes that I am dead. 
 But as you do not like that I should go, I will deny myself the 
 pleasure, for there is nothing I would not do to please you." 
 
 In the mean while, the sultan of India was deeply distressed at 
 the absence of the two princes his sons. He was soon, however, 
 informed of the resolution Prince Houssain had taken to forsake 
 the world, and as he knew that he was alive and well he was not 
 so troubled about him. But he did not know where Prince 
 Ahmed was, and therefore he gave orders that a search should be 
 made for him throughout all his dominions. He sent messengers 
 to the governors of all the provinces of India, with directions to 
 stop the prince should he be found, and compel him to return to 
 his father's court. 
 
 But all was of no use. Ahmed could not be found and nobody 
 could tell where he was. At last the grand vizier advised the 
 sultan to ask the help of a sorceress. The sultan consented, and 
 a sorceress was sent for. When she came- before the sultan, he 
 said to her, " Canst thou tell me by thy art and skill what is 
 become of Prince Ahmed, my son ? If he be alive, where is he ? 
 What is he doing ? May I hope ever to see him again ? ' ' 
 " Sire;" replied the sorceress, " if you will allow me till to-mor- 
 row, I will endeavor to satisfy you." The sultan granted her 
 
198 
 
 the time, and promised to reward her well. The sorceress re- 
 turned the next day, and said to the sultan, " Sire, I have not 
 been able to find out anything more than that Prince Ahmed is 
 alive, but as to where he is I cannot discover." The sultan was 
 obliged to remain satisfied with this answer, which somewhat 
 relieved his anxiety, as it made him believe that his son was not 
 dead. 
 
 Prince Ahmed, meanwhile, kept to his resolution not again to 
 ask permission to leave the fairy Perie Banou, but she saw by his 
 frequent talk about his father that he still wished to see him. 
 She therefore resolved to grant him the permission she knew he 
 so much desired, and one day she said to him, " Prince, as I am 
 now fully satisfied that I can depend on your love, I grant you 
 leave to visit the sultan your father on condition that your ab- 
 sence shall not be long. You can go when you please, but let 
 me give you some advice how you shall conduct yourself. Do 
 not inform your father of our marriage, or of the place of our 
 residence. Beg of him to be content with knowing that you are 
 happy, and that the object of your visit is to make him easy in 
 his mind regarding you." She then ordered twenty horsemen 
 to attend him on his journey. For himself a magnificent horse 
 was brought out, with saddle and bridle of gold and silver, orna- 
 mented with diamonds and other precious stones. Prince Ahmed 
 mounted this horse, and after bidding farewell to the fairy Perie, 
 he set out, accompanied by the twenty horsemen. 
 
 As it was no great distance, the prince soon arrived at his 
 father's capital. The people received him joyfully and followed 
 him in crowds to the palace. His father embraced him with 
 great affection, complaining at the same time of the grief his 
 long absence had caused him. ' ' Sire, ' ' replied Prince Ahmed, 
 " I was pained to have to give up the Princess Nouronnihar to 
 my brother AH, and I felt that my arrow, though it could not be 
 found, had gone beyond his. I resolved to find it, and I there- 
 fore left my attendant, and returned alone to look for it. After 
 having gone several miles I saw an arrow, and I knew it to be 
 
199 
 
 the same which I had lost. Far from blaming you for declaring 
 in favor of my brother Ali, I never doubted that there was a mys- 
 tery in what had happened. But as to this mystery, I beg you 
 will not be offended if I remain silent, and that you will be con- 
 tent to know from my own mouth that I am happy. To tell you 
 this, and to relieve your anxiety, is what brought me here. 
 I must now return, and the only favor I ask is your leave to occa- 
 sionally visit you and inquire after your health." "Son," 
 answered the sultan, " I have no wish to inquire into your secret. 
 I tell you that your presence has given me a pleasure I have not 
 felt for a long time. You shall always be welcome when you can 
 come to visit me. ' ' 
 
 Prince Ahmed stayed three days at his father's court, and on 
 the fourth returned to the fairy Perie Banou, who received him 
 with great joy. At the end of a month after the prince's return, 
 the fairy, no longer doubting his love for her, proposed herself 
 that he should pay another visit to his father. " It is a month," 
 she said, " since you have seen the sultan your father. I think 
 you should not be longer in renewing your visits. Go to him to- 
 morrow, and after that, visit him once a month, without waiting 
 for my permission." 
 
 Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attend- 
 ants as before, but much more magnificently mounted and dressed, 
 and was received by the sultan with the same joy and satisfac- 
 tion. For several months he constantly paid him visits, and every 
 time in a richer and more brilliant style. At last the sultan's 
 viziers, who judged of Prince Ahmed's power by the splendor of 
 his appearance, began to try to make the father jealous of his 
 son. They told him that he ought to discover where the prince 
 resided, and how he could afford to live so magnificently. He 
 seemed, they said, to come to court only to insult his father by 
 his display of grandeur, and to gain the people's favor, so as to 
 get the throne himself. 
 
 When they said these things to the sultan, he answered, "I do 
 not believe my son Ahmed would act as you think, but I am 
 
2OO 
 
 obliged to you for your advice." He said this that they might 
 not know that he was disturbed in his mind about what they told 
 him. He was, however, so much alarmed that he resolved to 
 have Prince Ahmed watched. With this object he sent privately 
 for the sorceress, who came by a secret door into his own room. 
 " You told me the truth," said he, " when you informed me 
 that my son Ahmed was alive. He now comes to my court every 
 month, but I cannot learn from him where he resides. I believe 
 you can discover this secret. He is with me at the present time, 
 and will depart in the morning, without taking leave of me or 
 any of my court. I wish you to watch him so as to find out 
 where he goes, and bring me information. ' ' The sorceress left 
 the sultan, and learning by her art the place where Prince Ahmed 
 had found his arrow, she went immediately there, and concealed 
 herself near the rocks so as not to be seen. 
 
 Next morning Prince Ahmed set out by daybreak, without tak- 
 ing leave of either the sultan or any of his court. The sorceress 
 saw him coming, and watched him and his attendants till she 
 suddenly lost sight of them in the rocks. When she thought that 
 the prince and his attendants must have far advanced into what- 
 ever place they inhabited, she came out and searched around the 
 spot where she had lost sight of them, but could find nothing. She 
 then returned to the palace and told the sultan, but at the same 
 time said to him that she did not despair of obtaining the infor- 
 mation he wished. Knowing the time when Prince Ahmed would 
 again visit his father, she went the day before to the foot of the 
 rock, and waited there to carry out the plan she had formed. 
 
 The next morning, as Prince Ahmed went out as usual at the 
 iron gate, with his attendants, on his journey to the capital, he 
 saw a woman lying with her head on the rock, and complaining 
 as if she was in great pain. He pitied her, turned his horse, 
 and said, " Good woman, I will assist you, and take you where 
 you shall be soon cured. Rise, and let one of my people carry 
 you behind him." 
 
 At these words the sorceress moved as if trying to rise, pre- 
 
201 
 
 tending that her illness prevented her. Two of the prince's 
 attendants helped her up, and placed her behind one of their 
 companions. They then followed the prince, who turned back 
 to the iron gate, which was opened by one of his horsemen. 
 When he came into the outer court of the fairy's palace, he sent 
 to tell her that he wanted to speak with her. The fairy came 
 with great haste, and Prince Ahmed, not giving her time to ask 
 any questions, said, " My princess, I wish you to have pity on 
 this good woman. I recommend her to your care, and am sure 
 that from inclination, as well as because of my request, you will 
 not abandon her. ' ' 
 
 The fairy, who had her eyes fixed on the pretended sick wo- 
 man all the time the prince was speaking, ordered two of her 
 female attendants to conduct her into an apartment of the pal- 
 ace, and take as much care of her as they would of herself. 
 While the attendants were doing this, the fairy went up to Prince 
 Ahmed, and whispering in his ear, said, " Prince, I commend 
 your good nature, which is worthy of you, but believe me, this 
 woman is not so sick as she pretends to be. I am much mis- 
 taken if she is not sent here to cause you great trouble. But do 
 not be uneasy. I will save you from all the snares that shall be 
 laid for you. Go and pursue your journey." These words of 
 the fairy did not in the least alarm Prince Ahmed. " My prin- 
 cess," said he, " as I do not remember that I ever did anybody 
 an injury, I cannot believe any one can haye a thought of injuring 
 me ; but even so, I shall not forbear doing good whenever I have 
 an opportunity." So saying, he took leave of the fairy, and set 
 forward again for his father's capital, where he soon arrived, 
 and was received as usual by the sultan. 
 
 In the mean time, the two attendants of Perie Banou had con- 
 veyed the sorceress into an elegant apartment, richly furnished. 
 When they put her into bed, the quilt of which was embroidered 
 brocade, and the coverlet, cloth of gold, one of the women went 
 out, and returned soon with a china cup in her hand containing 
 a certain liquor, which she presented to the sorceress, while the 
 
2O2 
 
 other helped her to sit up. " Drink this," said the attendant; 
 " it is the water of the fountain of lions. You will find the good 
 effect of it in less than an hour's time." 
 
 The two attendants returned in an hour's time, and found the 
 sorceress seated on the sofa. When she saw them she cried out, 
 " Oh, wonderful liquor! it has cured me, and being thus cured 
 as by a miracle, I would not lose time, but finish my journey." 
 
 The two attendants then conducted the sorceress through 
 several apartments into a large hall, the most richly and magnifi- 
 cently furnished of all the palace. Perie Banou was seated in 
 this hall, upon a throne of massive gold, enriched with diamonds, 
 rubies, and pearls of an extraordinary size, and attended by a 
 great number of beautiful fairies, richly dressed. At the sight of 
 so much splendor, the sorceress was so astonished that she could 
 not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she had intended. But 
 Perie Banou saved her the trouble, and said, " Good woman, I 
 am glad I had an opportunity to oblige you, and that you are 
 able to finish your journey. I will not detain you. But perhaps 
 you may wish to see my palace. Follow my women, and they 
 will show it you." The old sorceress, who had not power or 
 courage to say a word, bowed down with her head on the carpet 
 that covered the foot of the throne, took her leave, and was then 
 conducted by the two fairies through the same apartments which 
 were shown to Prince Ahmed at his first arrival. They at last 
 led her to the iron gate, opened it, and wished her a good 
 journey. 
 
 After the sorceress had gone a little way, she turned to observe 
 the door, that she might know it again, but she could not see it. 
 Then she went away to the sultan, and after describing to him 
 all that she had witnessed in the fairy's palace, she said, " What 
 does you Majesty think of these unheard-of riches of the fairy? 
 Perhaps you will rejoice at the good fortune of Prince Ahmed, 
 your son. For my part, I shudder when I think of the misfor- 
 tunes that may happen to you, as the fairy may put it into the 
 head of your son to dethrone his father, and seize the crown of 
 
203 
 
 the Indies." The sultan ordered her to follow him into the 
 council chamber. After he had informed his viziers of all he 
 had learned, and of his fears of the influence of the fairy over 
 his son, one of them said, " The author of this mischief is in 
 your Majesty's power. You ought to put him under arrest; I 
 will not say take away his life, but make him a close prisoner." 
 Then the sorceress asked leave to speak, and she said, " If you 
 arrest the prince, you must also arrest his attendants. But they 
 are all genies. Will they not at once disappear, by the power 
 they possess of making themselves invisible, and will they not go 
 instantly to the fairy, and give her an account of the insult offered 
 to her husband ? And can it be supposed that she will let it go 
 unrevenged ? Would it not be better to turn the prince's position 
 to your advantage, by putting on him some hard task ? If he 
 performs it, he will benefit you, and if he will not perform it, you 
 will have an excuse for arresting him. Request the prince to get 
 you a tent which can be carried in a man's hand, and yet be 
 large enough to shelter your whole army. ' ' When the sorceress 
 finished her speech, the sultan asked the viziers if they had any- 
 thing better to propose, and finding them all silent, he deter- 
 mined to follow her advice. 
 
 Next day, when the prince came into his father's presence, the 
 sultan said to him, " My son, I am glad to hear of your marriage 
 with a fairy who is worthy of your love. I make one request, 
 that you will obtain her assistance to do me a great service. 
 You know to what expense I am put to provide mules, camels, 
 and other beasts of burden, to carry the tents of myself and of 
 my army. Now I am certain that you could easily procure from 
 the fairy, your wife, a tent that might be carried in a man's hand, 
 and which would serve for my whole army. Pray oblige me by 
 persuading her to do me the service I ask." 
 
 Prince Ahmed, hearing this request, was at a loss to think 
 what answer to make. At last he replied, " Though I do not 
 know how you have found it out, I cannot deny that the infor- 
 mation you have received is correct. I have married the fairy. 
 
204 
 
 As to what you speak of, I shall mention to her your desire, and 
 if I do not again come to visit you, it will be a sign that I have 
 not succeeded in obtaining my request. ' ' 
 
 When Prince Ahmed returned to the fairy palace, the Perie 
 Banou at once saw that there was some trouble on his mind, and 
 she asked the cause of the change she noticed in him. After 
 much pressing, Ahmed told her that the sultan had found out 
 about his abode and his marriage, though he could not tell by 
 what means. The fairy reminded him of the old woman on 
 whom he had taken pity, and said that she was the spy, and had 
 told the sultan all she had seen and heard. " But," said she, 
 " there is something else which is the cause of your grief and 
 vexation." " Perie Banou," said Prince Ahmed at last, " it is 
 so. My father doubts my loyalty to him, and he has demanded 
 of me to get for him from you a tent large enough to shelter him- 
 self, his officers, and his army, when he goes to war, and small 
 enough fora man to carry in his hand." " Prince," replied 
 the fairy, smiling, " what your father requests is a trifle. I can 
 do him more important service, and I shall always take pleasure 
 in performing whatever you desire. ' ' Perie Banou then sent for 
 one of her female attendants, and said to her, " Noorjehaun, " 
 for that was her name, " bring me the largest tent in my treas- 
 ury." Noorjehaun went out of the chamber, and in a few min- 
 utes returned with a small case concealed in the palm of her 
 hand, and presented it to her mistress, who gave it to Prince 
 Ahmed. When he saw the small case which the fairy called the 
 largest tent in her treasury, he thought she was joking him, and 
 seeing this, Perie Banou exclaimed, " What, prince! do you 
 think I jest with you ? You will see that I am in earnest. Noor- 
 jehaun, " said she, taking the tent out of Prince Ahmed's hands, 
 " go and set it up, that he may judge whether the sultan his 
 father will think it large enough." 
 
 Noorjehaun went out immediately with it from the palace, 
 and, after carrying it to some distance, set it up. The prince 
 found it large enough to shelter two armies, each as large as that 
 
2O5 
 
 of his father. " You see," said the fairy, that the tent is larger 
 than your father may need, but you are to observe that, when set 
 up, it becomes, without being to'uched, larger or smaller, accord- 
 ing to the size of the army it is to cover." Noorjehaun then 
 took down the tent again, reduced it to its first size, and brought 
 it and put it into the prince's hands. Next day he mounted his 
 horse and went with the usual attendants to the sultan his father. 
 
 The sultan, who thought that the tent he asked could not be 
 got, was greatly surprised at the prince's speedy return. He 
 took the tent, and after wondering at its smallness, he had it set 
 up in the great plain not far from the palace. When he found 
 it large enough to cover with ease his whole army he was much 
 astonished. He expressed his thanks to his son, and desired him 
 to return his thanks to the fairy, and, to show what value he set 
 upon it, he ordered the tent to be carefully laid up in his treas- 
 ury. But in his secret heart he felt greater jealousy than ever 
 of his son, fearing that by the fairy's assistance he would deprive 
 him of his throne. Therefore he went to consult the sorceress 
 again, and she advised him to request the prince to bring him 
 some of the water of the fountain of lions. 
 
 The sultan resolved to do this, and so in the evening, when the 
 prince came to pay his respects, he addressed him in these words : 
 " Son, I have already expressed to you how thankful I am for 
 the present of the tent, which I esteem the most valuable article 
 in my treasury; but you must do one thing more for me. I am 
 informed that the fairy your wife makes use of a certain water 
 called the ' water of the fountain of lions, ' which cures all sorts 
 of diseases, even the most dangerous. Now I am sure my health 
 is dear to you, and I do not doubt that you will ask her for a 
 bottle of that water, and bring it to me, that I may use it when I 
 have need of it. Do me this service, and complete the duty of 
 a good son towards a tender father. ' ' 
 
 Prince Ahmed, who believed that his father would have been 
 satisfied with so useful a tent as that he had brought, and that he 
 would not put any other task upon him which might cause the 
 
2O6 
 
 fairy's displeasure, was thunderstruck at this new request. After 
 a long silence, he said, " I assure your Majesty that there is 
 nothing I would not do to prolong your life, but I cannot promise 
 to bring the water. All I can do is to assure you that I will re- 
 quest it of her, though I am as sorry to have to trouble her as 
 I was when I asked for the tent." 
 
 The next morning Prince Ahmed returned to the fairy Perie 
 Banou, and, after informing her of his father's new request, said, 
 " But, my princess, I only tell you this as a plain account of 
 what passed between me and my father. I leave you to your 
 own pleasure, whether you will grant or refuse this his new de- 
 mand. It shall be as you please." "No, no," replied the 
 fairy, " I will satisfy the sultan; and whatever advice the sorceress 
 may give him, for I see that he listens to her counsel, he shall 
 find no fault with you or me. There is much wickedness in this 
 demand, as you will understand by what I am going to tell you. 
 The fountain of lions is situated in the middle of the court of a 
 great castle, the entrance to which is guarded by four fierce lions, 
 two of which sleep, while the other two are awake. But let not 
 that frighten you. I will supply you with means to pass by them 
 without danger." 
 
 The fairy Perie Banou was at that moment at work with her 
 needle, and as she had by her several clews of thread, she took 
 up one, and presenting it to Prince Ahmed, said, " First take 
 this clew of thread; I will tell you presently the use of it. In 
 the second place, you must have two horses. One of them you 
 must ride yourself. The other you must lead, and it must be 
 loaded with a sheep cut into four quarters, that must be killed 
 to-day. In the third place, you must be provided with a bottle, 
 which I will give you, to bring the water in. Set out early to- 
 morrow morning, and when you have passed the iron gate of this 
 palace throw before you the clew of thread, which will roll till it 
 reaches the gates of the castle. Follow it, and when it stops, as 
 the gates will be open, you will see the four lions. The two that 
 are awake will, by their roaring, wake the other two. Be not 
 
207 
 
 alarmed, but throw each of them a quarter of the sheep, and 
 then clap spurs to your horse, and ride to the fountain. Fill 
 your bottle without alighting, and return with the sarrie speed. 
 The lions will be so busy eating that they will let you pass 
 unmolested." 
 
 Prince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed 
 by the fairy, and followed her directions exactly. As soon as he 
 arrived at the gates of the castle, he distributed the quarters of 
 the sheep among the four lions, and, passing quickly to the foun- 
 tain, filled his bottle, and came safely away. When he had got a 
 little distance from the castle gates, he turned about, and seeing 
 two of the lions coming after him, he drew his sword, and pre- 
 pared himself for defense. But immediately he saw one of them 
 turn out of the road at some distance, showing by his head and 
 tail that he did not come to do him any harm, but only to go 
 before him, and he saw that the other stayed behind to follow. 
 He therefore put his sword again into its scabbard. Guarded in 
 this manner he arrived at his father's capital, and the lions never 
 left him till they had conducted him to the gates of the sultan's 
 palace. They then returned the way they had come, though not 
 without alarming the people, who fled or hid themselves to avoid 
 them ; but the lions walked gently and made no attempt to attack 
 any one. 
 
 A number of officers came to attend the prince while he dis- 
 mounted, and conduct him to the apartment of the sultan, who 
 was just then conversing with his viziers. The prince approached 
 his father, laid the bottle at his feet, and rising, said, " I have 
 brought you, sire, the water which your Majesty so much desired, 
 but at the same time I wish you such health that you may never 
 have occasion to make use of it." The sultan was again much 
 surprised to see his son so soon back with what he had de- 
 manded of him, and he said to him, ' ' Son, I am much obliged to 
 you for this valuable present, and for the great danger to which 
 you have exposed yourself on my account. But I have one thing 
 yet to ask of you, after which I shall expect nothing more. This 
 
Drawn by R. B. Birch, 
 
 PRINCE AHMED AND THE LIONS. 
 (208) 
 
209 
 
 request is, to bring me a man not above a foot am 
 
 whose beard is thirty feet long, who carries upon his shoulders a 
 
 bar of iron of five hundredweight, and who can speak." 
 
 Next day the prince returned to Perie Banou, and told her of 
 his father's new demand, saying, " This is much more difficult 
 to obtain than the others, for I cannot imagine that there is 
 such a man in the world. Without doubt my father seeks my 
 ruin, but if there are any means, I beg you will tell me how I 
 may come off with honor this time also. " " Do not alarm your- 
 self, prince," replied the fairy; " you ran a risk in fetching the 
 water of the fountain of lions for your father, but there is no 
 trouble or danger in finding this man. He is my brother Schai- 
 bar. Though we both had the same father, he is of so violent a 
 temper that he gets angry at the slightest offense; yet he is very 
 good-natured and friendly to any one who shows him a kind- 
 ness. I will send for him, but prepare yourself not to be alarmed 
 at his extraordinary figure and appearance." "'What ! my 
 queen, ' ' replied Prince Ahmed, ' ' do you say Schaibar is your 
 brother ? Let him be ever so ugly or deformed, I shall love and 
 honor him on your accornt. " 
 
 The fairy then ordered a gold chafing dish to be lighted under 
 the porch of her palace, and taking some incense, she threw it 
 into the fire, whence there arose a thick cloud of smoke. Some 
 moments afterwards she said to Prince Ahmed, " Prince, there 
 comes my brother; do you see him ? " The prince immediately 
 saw Schaibar, who, as he came forward, looked fiercely at him, 
 and asked Perie Banou who that man was. She replied, " His 
 name is Ahmed; he is a son of the sultan of India, and my 
 husband. I did not invite you, brother, to my wedding, because 
 you were at the time in a distant country, but on my husband's 
 account I have taken the liberty now to call for you." At these 
 words, Schaibar, looking at Prince Ahmed, said in an agreeable 
 tone, '"' It is enough that he is your husband, to cause me to 
 do for him whatever he may desire." " The sultan his father," 
 rejoined Perie Banou, " wishes to see you, and he will be your 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 14 
 
2IO 
 
 guide to the sultan's court." " He has only to lead the way; I 
 will follow him, ' ' replied Schaibar. 
 
 Next morning, Schaibar set out with Prince Ahmed to visit 
 the sultan. When they arrived at the gates of the capital, the 
 people, as soon as they saw the fierce-looking little man with the 
 great bar of iron on his shoulder, ran and hid themselves in their 
 shops and houses and shut their doors. Schaibar and Prince 
 Ahmed went along till they came to the palace, and the guards 
 ran away too, so that the prince and he advanced without any 
 obstacle to the council hall, where the sultan was seated on his 
 throne surrounded by his viziers and ministers. Schaibar haught- 
 ily approached the throne, and, without waiting for Prince Ahmed 
 to introduce him, thus addressed the sultan: " Thou has sent for 
 me. What dost thou wish ? ' ' The sultan, instead of answer- 
 ing, put his hands before his eyes, terrified at so dreadful a sight. 
 Schaibar, enraged at this reception, lifted up his bar of iron, and 
 crying out, " Wilt thou not speak then ? " let it fall directly on 
 his head, and crushed him to the earth. He did this before 
 Prince Ahmed had time to interfere. He next destroyed the 
 advisers of the sultan who were the enemies of Prince Ahmed, 
 sparing only the grand vizier, at Prince Ahmed's earnest request. 
 
 Schaibar then left the hall, and went into the middle of the 
 court, with the bar of iron on his shoulder. " I know," cried 
 he, looking at the grand vizier, " that there is a certain sorceress 
 who stirred up the sultan to demand my presence here. Let her 
 be brought before me. ' ' The grand vizier immediately sent for 
 her, and the moment she appeared, Schaibar crushed her with 
 his bar of iron, saying, ' ' Now you are punished for giving wicked 
 advice, and pretending sickness. But this is not enough," con- 
 tinued Schaibar; " Prince Ahmed, my brother-in-law, must be 
 acknowledged as sultan of India." All those who were present 
 cheerfully assented, and they made the air resound with cries of 
 " Long live Sultan Ahmed," and in a short time the whole 
 city echoed with the same shouts. Schaibar next made the 
 prince put on the robes of the sultan, after which he had him 
 
211 
 
 installed. He then went for his sister, Perie Banou, conducted 
 her to the city in great pomp, and caused her to be acknowl- 
 edged as queen of India. 
 
 Prince Ahmed gave to Prince Ali and the Princess Nouronni- 
 har a kingdom for themselves. Afterwards he sent an officer to 
 Houssain to tell him of what had happened, and to make him 
 an offer of a kingdom. But Houssain requested the officer to 
 convey his thanks to the prince his brother, and to say that the 
 only favor he desired was permission to remain in the place he 
 had chosen for his retreat. 
 
 STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 In the reign of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid there lived at 
 Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. One day, when the 
 weather was very hot, he was employed to carry a heavy burden 
 from one end of the town to the other. Being much fatigued, 
 he took off his load and sat upon it, near a large house. 
 
 He was much pleased that he had stopped at this place, for 
 he heard from within a concert of instrumental music accom- 
 panied by the sweet notes of nightingales and other birds. The 
 music, and the smell of several sorts of meats, made the porter 
 believe that there was a feast, with great rejoicings, within. His 
 business seldom leading him that way, he knew not to whom the 
 house belonged, but he went to some of the servants, whom he 
 saw standing at the gate in fine dress, and asked the name of the 
 owner. " How? " replied one of them; " do you live in Bag- 
 dad, and not know that this is the house of Sindbad the Sailor, 
 the famous voyager, who has sailed round the world ? ' ' 
 
 The porter lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, loud enough 
 to be heard, " Almighty Creator of all things, what a difference 
 between Sindbad and me ! I can scarcely get coarse barley bread 
 for myself and my family, whilst happy Sindbad has immense 
 riches, and leads a life of constant pleasure. What has he done 
 
212 
 
 to get from Thee a lot so agreeable ? And what have I done to 
 deserve one so wretched ? " 
 
 Just then a servant came out of the house, and, taking the 
 porter by the arm, bade him come in, as Sindbad his master 
 wanted to speak to him. The servant brought him into a great 
 hall, where a number of people sat round a table covered with 
 all sorts of good things for eating. At the upper end sat a ven- 
 erable gentleman, with a long white beard, and behind him stood 
 a number of attendants, all ready to wait upon him. This per- 
 son was Sindbad. The porter, who became nervous at the sight 
 of so many people and so grand a banquet, trembled as he 
 saluted the company. Sindbad politely bade him welcome, 
 requested him to draw near, and, seating him at his right hand, 
 helped him plentifully to the various excellent dishes that were 
 upon the table. 
 
 Now Sindbad had heard through the window the porter's com- 
 plaint, and this was the reason why he had him brought in. 
 When the repast was over, he asked what was his name and em- 
 ployment, and said, " I wish to hear again what you have been 
 saying in the street. ' ' At this request Hindbad hung down his 
 head in confusion, and replied, " My lord, I confess that my 
 fatigue put me out of humor and caused me to utter some foolish 
 words, which I beg you to pardon." "Do not think that I 
 am so unjust," said Sindbad, "as to be angry at such a com- 
 plaint. But I must correct your error concerning myself. You 
 suppose, no doubt, that I have got without labor and trouble 
 the wealth which I now possess. But do not mistake; I did not 
 reach this happy condition without enduring, for several years, 
 more trouble of body and mind than can easily be imagined. 
 Yes, gentlemen," he added, addressing himself to the whole 
 company, " I assure you that my sufferings have been extra- 
 ordinary, and my experiences of such a nature as to cure the 
 greatest miser of his love of riches; and as an opportunity new 
 offers, I will, with your leave, give an account of the dangers I 
 have met, which I think will be interesting to you." 
 
213 
 
 SINDBAD'S FIRST VOYAGE. 
 
 My father was a wealthy merchant. He left me a large 
 estate, which I wasted in extravagant living. I then saw my 
 error. I had been making bad use of my time, which is of all 
 things the most valuable. I remembered the saying of the great 
 Solomon, which I had frequently heard from my father, "A good 
 name is better than precious ointment;" and again, " Wisdom 
 is good with an inheritance." Struck with these thoughts, I re- 
 solved to walk in my father's ways, and I joined with some mer- 
 chants, and embarked with them on board a ship we had fitted 
 out at Bussorah. 
 
 We set sail, and steered our course towards the Indies, through 
 the Persian Gulf. At first I was troubled with seasickness, but 
 speedily recovered, and was not afterwards subject to that 
 complaint. In our voyage we touched at several ports, where 
 we sold or exchanged our goods. One day, while under sail, we 
 were becalmed near a small island. The captain ordered his 
 sails to be furled, and permitted those of us who were so inclined 
 to land. Of this number I was one. 
 
 While we were enjoying ourselves, eating and drinking, and 
 recovering from the fatigue of the sea, the island on a sudden 
 trembled, and shook us terribly. The trembling was noticed on 
 board the ship, and they called to us to reembark speedily, or 
 we should all be lost; for what we took for an island proved to 
 be the back of a sea monster. The nimblest got into the vessel, 
 others took to swimming, but I was still upon the monster's back 
 when it disappeared into the sea, and I had time only to catch hold 
 of a piece of wood that we had brought out of the ship to make a 
 fire. Meanwhile the captain, having rescued some of those that 
 swam, resolved to take advantage of the favorable gale that had 
 just risen. So he hoisted his sails and pursued his voyage, and 
 it was impossible for me to reach the ship. 
 
 I was at the mercy of the waves all the rest of the day and the 
 following night. By this time I found my strength gone, and 
 
214 
 
 despaired of saving my life, when happily a wave threw me 
 against an island. The bank was high and rugged, so that I 
 could not have got up only for some roots of trees which I found 
 within reach. When the sun rose, though I was very feeble, 
 both from exposure and want of food, I crept along searching for 
 herbs fit to eat. I had the good luck to find some, and also a 
 spring of excellent water, which helped much to recover me. 
 After this I went farther into the island, and at last reached a 
 plain, where I saw some horses feeding. Going towards them, 
 I soon heard the voice of a man, and presently he appeared, 
 and asked me who I was. I related to him my adventure, after 
 which, taking me by the hand, he led me into a cave, where 
 there were several other people. They were as surprised to see 
 me as I was to see them. I partook of some provisions which 
 they offered me. I then asked them what they were doing in 
 such a desert place. They answered that they were grooms 
 belonging to the king of the island, and that every year they 
 brought the king's horses there for pasturage. They also said 
 that they were to return home on the next day, and if I had 
 been one day later, I must have perished, because the inhabited 
 part of the island was a great distance off, and it would have 
 been impossible for me to get there without a guide. 
 
 Next morning they returned to the capital of the island, tak- 
 ing me with them, and they introduced me to the king. He 
 asked me who I was, and why I had come into his country. 
 After I had told him, he said he was very sorry for my misfor- 
 tune, and he ordered that I should be supplied with everything I 
 needed. 
 
 Being a merchant, I went among men of my own class, and 
 particularly inquired for those who were strangers, thinking that I 
 might hear news from Bagdad, or find an opportunity to return. 
 I. took care also to frequently pay my respects to the king, and 
 I talked with the great men that were around him. They put 
 many questions to me about my country, and I asked them about 
 everything which I thought worth knowing. 
 
215 
 
 As I was one day at the quays, the ship arrived in which I had 
 embarked at Bussorah. I at once knew the captain, and I went 
 and asked him for my bales of goods. " I am Sindbad, " said I, 
 " and those bales marked with that name are mine." When the 
 captain heard me speak he cried out, " Whom can we trust in 
 these times! With my own eyes I saw Sindbad perish, as the 
 passengers on board also did, yet you tell me you are that Sind- 
 bad. What impudence is this ! and what a false tale to tell, iri 
 order to get what does not belong to you ! " " Have patience," 
 replied I ; "do me the kindness to hear what I have to say. ' ' 
 After I had had some talk with him he was satisfied that I 
 was no cheat, for there came people from his ship who knew 
 me and expressed much joy at seeing me alive. At last he re- 
 collected me himself. " Heaven be praised, ' ' said he, " for your 
 happy escape ! I cannot express the joy it gives me. Here are 
 your goods, take and do with them as you please." 
 
 I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and presented 
 them to the king. He was pleased at my good luck, accepted 
 my present, and in return gave me one much more valuable. 
 Then I took leave of him, and went aboard the same ship, after 
 I had exchanged my goods for products of that country. I car- 
 ried with me wood of aloes, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger. 
 We passed by several islands, and at last arrived at Bussorah, 
 from which I came to this city, with the value of one hundred 
 thousand pieces of gold. 
 
 Sindbad stopped here, and ordered the musicians to proceed 
 with their concert, which the story had interrupted. When it 
 was evening, he gave a purse of one hundred gold pieces to the 
 porter, saying, "Take this, Hindbad, return home, and comeback 
 to-morrow to hear more of my adventures. ' ' The porter went 
 away, much pleased at the honor done him, and the present he 
 had received. The account of what had happened was very 
 agreeable to his wife and children, who returned thanks for what 
 Providence had sent them by the hand of Sindbad. 
 
 Hindbad put on his best clothes next day, and returned to the 
 
2l6 
 
 house of Sindbacl, who welcomed him heartily. When all the 
 guests had arrived, dinner was served, and as soon as it was over, 
 Sindbad, addressing the company, said, " Gentlemen, be pleased 
 to listen to the story of my second voyage. It deserves your 
 attention more than the first. ' ' 
 
 SINDBAD'S SECOND VOYAGE. 
 
 I intended, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days 
 at Bagdad, but it was not long before I grew weary of an idle life, 
 and I went to sea again with a company of merchants. 
 
 We had a good ship, and we traded from island to island, with 
 great profit. One day we landed on an island covered with fruit 
 trees, but we could see neither man nor beast. We walked in 
 the meadows, along the streams that watered them. While some 
 amused themselves gathering flowers, and others fruits, I took 
 my provisions, and sat down near a stream between two high 
 trees, which formed a thick shade. I made a good meal, and 
 afterwards fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept, but when 
 I awoke the ship was gone. 
 
 I was ready to die with grief, and threw myself upon the 
 ground, where I lay some time in despair. I blamed myself 
 a hundred times for not being content with the profits of my first 
 voyage, that might have been enough for me the rest of my life. 
 But all this was of no use, and my repentance came too late. 
 Not knowing what to do, I climbed up to the top of a lofty tree, 
 from which I looked about on all sides for something that could 
 give me hope of escape. When I gazed towards the sea I saw 
 only sky and water, but looking over the land, I noticed at a dis- 
 tance something very large and round and white. Coming down 
 from the tree, I took what provisions I had left, and went 
 towards it. 
 
 As I approached I thought it to be a white dome, of vast 
 height, and when I came up to it I touched it, and found it to 
 
be very smooth. I went round about it to see if it was open on 
 any side, but it was not, and I could not climb to the top, it was 
 so smooth. It was at least a hundred feet round. While I was 
 gazing at this strange object, the sky all of a sudden became as 
 dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I was aston- 
 ished at the sudden darkness, but much more so when I found 
 that it was caused by a bird of monstrous size that came flying 
 towards me. I remembered then that I had often heard sailors 
 speak of a wonderful bird called the roc, and I thought that the 
 great dome must be its egg; and so it was. 
 
 As I saw the bird approach I crept close to the egg. She 
 came and sat upon it, stretching out her legs behind, each of 
 which was as big as the trunk of a tree. I unwound my turban 
 from my head, folded it and twisted it into a rope, and tied 
 myself with it to one leg of the bird, in the hope that she would 
 carry me with her out of the desert island. She remained all 
 night on the egg, but as soon as it was daylight she flew away, 
 and carried me so high that I could not see the earth. She 
 afterwards descended slowly to the ground, and I speedily untied 
 myself from her leg. I had scarcely done so when the roc took 
 up a serpent of great length in her bill and flew away. 
 
 The spot where the bird left me was surrounded on all sides 
 by mountains that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so 
 steep that there was no way of getting out of the valley. Here 
 was a new danger. When I compared this place with the desert 
 island from which the roc had brought me, I thought I had 
 gained nothing by the change. As I walked through the valley 
 I saw that it was strewn with diamonds, some of which were of 
 great size. 1 took pleasure in looking at them, but I soon saw 
 objects that were not so agreeable, namely a great number of 
 serpents, so large that the smallest of them could swallow an ele- 
 phant. They retired in the daytime to caves, where they hid 
 themselves from their enemy, the roc, and came out only in the 
 night. 
 
 I spent the day in walking about in the valley, resting myself 
 
218 
 
 at times in such places as were most convenient. When night 
 came I went into a cave, where I thought I might repose in 
 safety. The entrance, which was low and narrow, I stopped up 
 with a great stone, to preserve me from the serpents. I supped 
 on part of my provisions, but the serpents, which began hissing 
 around me, made me so afraid that I could not sleep. When 
 day appeared the serpents went away, and I came out of the 
 cave, trembling. I walked upon diamonds without feeling any wish 
 to take them. At last I sat down, and after eating a little more 
 of my provisions, I fell fast asleep in spite of my fear. But in 
 a short time I was awakened by something that dropped on the 
 ground with a great noise. I found that it was a large piece 
 of raw meat, and at the same time I saw several other pieces fall 
 down from the rocks in different places. 
 
 I had always regarded as false what I heard sailors and others 
 tell of the valley of diamonds, and of how merchants got the dia- 
 monds from the valley, but now I found that it was the truth. 
 The merchants come to the tops of the mountains, and throw 
 down into the valley large pieces of meat, to which the diamonds 
 stick. Then the eagles, which are stronger in this country than 
 anywhere else, pounce upon these pieces of meat, and carry them 
 to their nests on the tops of the rocks, to feed their young. The 
 merchants then run to the nests, drive off the eagles, and take 
 away the diamonds that stick to the meat. 
 
 I now, therefore, saw the means of getting out of the valley. 
 I collected the largest diamonds I could find, and put them into 
 the leather bag in which I carried my provisions. Then I took 
 the biggest of the pieces of meat, tied it close round me, and 
 laid myself upon the ground with my face downwards, the bag of 
 diamonds being made fast to my girdle. In a short time one of 
 the eagles, having taken me up with the piece of meat to which 
 I was fastened, carried me to his nest on the top of the moun- 
 tain. The merchants immediately began shouting to frighten 
 the eagles, and when they had driven away the birds, one of 
 them came to the nest where I was. He was much astonished 
 
219 
 
 when he saw me, but instead of inquiring how I came there, he 
 began to quarrel with me, and asked why I stole his goods. 
 " You will treat me," said I, " with more civility when 
 you know me better. Do not be uneasy; I have diamonds 
 enough for you and myself, more than all the other merchants 
 together." I had scarcely done speaking, when the other mer- 
 chants came crowding about us, surprised to see me. But when 
 I told them my story they were still more surprised, and after 
 conducting me to their tents, where I opened my bag, they 
 wondered greatly at the size of my diamonds, saying that they 
 had never seen any so large and perfect. I begged the mer- 
 chant who owned the nest to which I had been carried (for each 
 had his own) to take as many as he pleased. But he would 
 take only one, and he said, " I am very well satisfied with this. 
 It is valuable enough to save me the trouble of making any more 
 voyages, and it will raise as great a fortune as I desire." 
 
 The merchants had been throwing their pieces of meat into 
 the valley for several days, and each of them was satisfied with 
 the diamonds he had got. We therefore left the place next 
 morning, and we took shipping at the first port we reached. We 
 touched at the isle of Roha, where the tree grows that yields cam- 
 phor. This tree is so large, and its branches so thick, that one 
 hundred men may easily sit under its shade. The juice oozes 
 from a hole bored in the upper part of the tree, and is received 
 in a vessel, where it thickens, and becomes camphor. After the 
 juice all comes out the tree withers and dies. In this island is 
 also found the rhinoceros. It has a horn upon its nose about 
 eighteen inches in length. It thrusts its horn into the elephant's 
 body and carries him off upon its head. But the blood of the 
 elephant runs into the eyes of the rhinoceros, and being thus 
 blinded, the animal becomes helpless. Then the roc carries both 
 away for food for her young ones. 
 
 At Roha I exchanged some of my diamonds for merchandise. 
 Then we went to other islands, and at last landed at Bussorah, 
 from which I came to Bagdad. I immediately made large pres- 
 
22O 
 
 ents to the poor, and lived upon the riches I had gained with so 
 much fatigue. 
 
 Thus Sindbad ended the story of his second voyage. He gave 
 Hindbad another purse of gold, and invited him to come the 
 next day to hear the account of his third voyage. 
 
 SINDBAD'S THIRD VOYAGE. 
 
 I soon again grew weary of idleness, and hardening myself 
 against the thought of danger, I embarked with some merchants 
 on another voyage. We touched at several ports, where we 
 traded. One day a dreadful tempest drove us from our course, 
 and brought us near a harbor in an island, which the captain was 
 very unwilling to enter. But the storm obliged us to take shel- 
 ter in it. When we had furled our sails, the captain told us that 
 this and some neighboring islands were inhabited by hairy savages, 
 who would speedily attack us. Though they were but dwarfs, we 
 must not strike any of them, he said, for they were very numer- 
 ous, and if we should kill one, they would all fall upon us and 
 destroy us. 
 
 We soon found that what the captain told us was but too true. 
 A multitude of frightful savages, about two feet high, cov- 
 ered all over with red hair, came swimming towards us, 
 and surrounded our ship. They chattered as they came near, 
 but we did not understand their language. They climbed 
 up the sides of the ship with great speed. They took down 
 our sails, cut the cable, and, hauling the vessel to the shore, 
 made us all get out. Then they dragged the ship to another 
 island, from which they had come. As we advanced, we 
 saw at a distance a vast pile of building, and made towards 
 it. W T e found it to be a palace, elegantly built, and very 
 lofty, with a gate of ebony. We opened the gate and entered a 
 large hall, where we saw on one side a heap of human bones, and 
 on the other, a vast number of roasting spits. We trembled with 
 
221 
 
 fear at this sight. But we were much more terrified when a door 
 opened with a loud crash, and there came out a horrible black 
 man, as tall as a palm tree. He had but one eye, and it was in 
 the middle of his forehead, where it blazed as bright as a burning 
 coal. His fore teeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of 
 his mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse. His upper lip 
 hung down upon his breast. His ears were as large as those of 
 an elephant, and covered his shoulders, and his nails were as long 
 and crooked as the claws of the largest birds. At the sight of 
 this frightful being, we fell to the ground in terror, and lay like 
 dead men. 
 
 At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch 
 looking at us. When he had watched us for some time, he 
 advanced towards us, and laying his hand upon me, he took me 
 up by the neck, and turned me round, as a butcher would do a 
 sheep's head. After having examined me, and seeing me to be 
 so lean that I had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go. He 
 took up all the rest one by one, and examined them in the same 
 way. The captain being the fattest, he held him with one 
 hand, as I would do a sparrow, and thrust a spit through him. 
 He then kindled a great fire, and roasted and ate him for his 
 supper. Having finished his meal, he returned to his porch, 
 where he lay and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder. He 
 slept thus till morning. It was not possible for us to enjoy any 
 rest, for we passed the night in the greatest fear. When day 
 appeared the giant awoke, got up, went out, and left us in the 
 palace. 
 
 We now resolved to punish the giant, and next night we did so 
 in .the following manner. After he had killed and eaten another 
 of our seamen, he lay down on his back, and fell asleep. As 
 soon as we heard him snoring, nine of the boldest among us, and 
 myself, took a spit each, and putting the points into the fire till 
 they were burning hot, we thrust them into his eye all at once, 
 and blinded him. The pain made him yell frightfully. He 
 started up, and stretched out his hands to seize some of us, but 
 
222 
 
 we kept out of his reach. After having tried in vain to catch 
 us, he groped for the gate, and went out, howling with agony. 
 We immediately left the palace, and came to the shore, where, 
 with timber that lay about in great quantities, we made some 
 rafts, each large enough to carry three men. We waited till 
 daylight to get upon them, but day had scarcely appeared when 
 we saw the giant, accompanied by two others almost of the 
 same size, leading him, and a great number more coming be- 
 fore him at a quick pace. We at once got upon our rafts, and 
 put to sea with all the speed we could. The giants, who saw 
 this, took up great stones and, running to the shore, entered 
 the water up to their waists, and threw with so good aim that 
 they sunk all the rafts but mine. All my companions, except 
 the two with me, were drowned. 
 
 We now rowed with our best efforts, and got out of the reach 
 of the giants. But on the sea we were at the mercy of the waves 
 and winds, and we spent that day and the following night in the 
 greatest misery. Next morning, however, we had the good 
 fortune to be cast upon an island, where we landed with much 
 joy. We found excellent fruit, which gave us great relief, and 
 renewed our strength. At night we went to sleep on the sea- 
 shore, but we were awakened by the noise made by a serpent 
 of surprising length and thickness. The reptile swallowed up 
 one of my comrades, after having dashed him several times against 
 the ground. The following day, to our great terror, we saw the 
 serpent again, and in the evening we went up into a tall tree, 
 where we resolved to pass the night for safety. Shortly after- 
 wards the serpent came hissing to the foot of the tree, and, 
 gliding up the trunk, seized my comrade, who sat lower than I, 
 and carried him off. 
 
 I remained upon the tree till daylight and then came down, 
 more like a man dead than alive, expecting the same fate as that 
 of my companions.. However, I did what I could to save myself. 
 I tied a wide piece of wood upon the soles of my feet, crosswise, 
 and I tied one like it upon my left side, and a similar one on my 
 
223 
 
 right side, and a similar one upon the front of my body, and I 
 tied a long and wide one upon the top of my head, crosswise, 
 like that which was under the soles of my feet. Thus I was in 
 the midst of these pieces of wood, and they inclosed me on every 
 side. I bound them tightly, and threw myself with the whole 
 upon the ground; so I lay in the midst of the pieces of wood, 
 which inclosed me like a closet. 
 
 When evening arrived, the serpent approached, and when it 
 saw me it drew towards me. But it could not swallow me as 
 I was in that state, with the pieces of wood around me on every 
 side. It went round me, but could not get at me, and I looked 
 at it, like a dead man, through fear and terror. The serpent 
 retired from me, and returned to me, and thus continued to do. 
 Every time that it tried to get at me to swallow me, the pieces of 
 wood tied upon me on every side prevented it. It continued to 
 do this from sunset until sunrise, when it went away in the ut- 
 most vexation and rage, upon which I stretched forth my hands 
 and loosed myself from the pieces of wood. 
 
 I then arose and walked along the island until I came to the 
 end of it, when I cast a glance towards the sea, and saw a ship 
 at a distance. Taking a great branch of a tree, I made a 
 sign with it, calling out to the people on the vessel. The crew 
 caught sight of me, and the captain sent his boat to take me to 
 the ship. As soon as I came on board, the merchants and 
 seamen nocked about me, to learn how I had got into that desert 
 island. When I told them my story, the oldest among them said 
 that they had often heard that giants dwelt in the island, that 
 they were cannibals, and that serpents were very numerous there. 
 After expressing joy at my escape from so many dangers, they 
 brought me the best of their provisions, and the captain, seeing 
 that I was in rags, gave me one of his own suits. 
 
 Looking closely at the captain, I knew him to be the same 
 who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell 
 asleep, and sailed without sending to search for me. I was not 
 surprised that he, believing me to be dead, did not know me. 
 
224 
 
 ''Captain," said I, "look at me, and you may know that I am 
 Sindbad whom you left in the desert island." He then recog- 
 nized me and said, " God be praised! I rejoice that you have 
 been saved. Here are your goods, which I have always taken 
 care to preserve. ' ' I received them from him, and thanked him. 
 We continued at sea for some time, touched at several islands, 
 and at last arrived at Bussorah. From there I returned to Bag- 
 dad, with much wealth. I gave a great deal to the poor, and 
 bought another estate in addition to what I had already. 
 
 Thus Sindbad finished the story of his third voyage. He gave 
 another hundred pieces of gold to Hindbad, and invited him to 
 dinner the next day, to hear about his fourth voyage. 
 
 SINDBAD'S FOURTH VOYAGE. 
 
 After I had recovered from the fatigues of my third voyage, my 
 love of travel soon again prevailed. I therefore provided a stock 
 of goods fit for the traffic I intended to engage in. I went to 
 Persia, traveled over several provinces, and at length arrived at a 
 port, where I embarked. Soon after we set sail, a great storm 
 arose which wrecked our ship. Several of the merchants and 
 sailors were drowned, and the cargo was lost. 
 
 I had the good fortune, with some of the merchants and crew, 
 to get upon planks, and we were carried by the current to an 
 island which lay before us. There we found fruit and spring 
 water, which preserved our lives. We stayed all night near the 
 place where we had been cast ashore. Next morning, as soon as 
 the sun was up, we explored the island, and saw some buildings, 
 which we approached. As we drew near, we met a great number 
 of negroes, who seized us and carried us to their houses. I and 
 five of my comrades were carried to one place, where they gave 
 us a certain herb, which they made signs to us to eat. My com- 
 rades, not taking notice that the blacks ate none of it themselves, 
 thought only of satisfying their hunger, and ate with greediness. 
 
225 
 
 But I, suspecting some trick, would not taste it. It was well for 
 me that I did not, for in a little time I saw that my companions 
 had lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me they did 
 not know what they said. 
 
 The negroes fed us afterwards with rice, prepared with oil of 
 cocoanuts, and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of 
 it greedily. I also partook of it, but very sparingly. They gave 
 us the herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses, that 
 we might not be aware of the sad fate prepared for us. Then 
 they gave us rice to fatten us, for being cannibals, their intention 
 was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. Accordingly they devoured 
 my comrades, but seeing me to be withered, lean, and sick, hav- 
 ing eaten very little, they put off my death. 
 
 Meanwhile I had much liberty, so that scarcely any notice was 
 taken of what I did, and this gave me an opportunity one day to 
 get at a distance from the houses, and to make my escape. On 
 the eighth day afterwards I came near the sea, and saw some 
 white people like myself, gathering pepper, of which there was 
 great plenty in that place. The people came to meet me as 
 soon as they saw me, and asked me in Arabic who I was and 
 where I came from. I was overjoyed to hear them speak my 
 own language, and gave them an account of my shipwreck and 
 how I fell into the hands of the negroes. "Those negroes," 
 said they, "eat men, and by what miracle did you escape their 
 cruelty ?" I related to them what I have just told, at which they 
 were greatly surprised. I stayed with them till they had gathered 
 as much pepper as they required, and then sailed with them to 
 the island from which they had come. They brought me to their 
 king, who was a good man. He had the patience to hear the 
 story of my adventures, which surprised him. He afterwards 
 gave me clothes and commanded that care should be taken of me. 
 The island was very well peopled, and the capital a place of great 
 trade. I observed one thing which appeared to me very extra- 
 ordinary. They all rode their horses without bridle or stirrups. 
 One day I went to a workman and gave him a model for mak- 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 15 
 
226 
 f 
 
 ing the Stock of a" saddle. When that was done, I covered it 
 myself with velvet and leather and embroidered it with gold. 1 
 then wenl to a saM y who made me a bit," according to the pat- 
 tern 1 showed him, and also stirrups. When I had them all 
 completed, I presented them to the king, and put them upon 
 one of his horses. He mounted immediately, and was so pleased 
 with them that he gave me valuable rewards. I made several 
 others for the principal officers of his house, which gained me 
 great friendship and favor. 
 
 I paid my respects very frequently to the king, and one day he 
 said to me, "Sindbad, I have one thing to ask of you, which you 
 must grant. I wish you to marry and stay in my kingdom, and 
 think no more of your own country." I dared not refuse the 
 king's request, and he gave me one of the ladies of his court, 
 who was beautiful and rich. The ceremony of marriage being 
 over, I went and dwelt with my wife, and for some time we lived 
 together in perfect happiness. 
 
 Soon afterwards it happened that the wife of one of my neigh- 
 bors, with whom I had formed a very close friendship, fell sick 
 and died. I went to see and comfort him in his trouble, and I said 
 to him, "God preserve you and grant you a long life." "Alas," 
 replied he, ' ' how do you think I should obtain the favor you wish 
 me ? I have not above an hour to live, for I must be buried to- 
 day with my wife. This is a law in our country. The living 
 husband is interred with the dead wife, and the living wife with 
 the dead husband." 
 
 While he was giving me an account of this barbarous custom, 
 at which I was much horrified, his friends and neighbors came to 
 assist at the funeral. They dressed the corpse of the woman in 
 her richest apparel, with all her jewels, as if it had been her 
 wedding day. Then they placed her on an open bier, and began 
 their march to the place of burial. The husband walked first, 
 next to the dead body. They went to a spot on a high mountain, 
 where they took up a large stone which formed the mouth of a 
 deep pit, and let down the body with all its apparel and jewels. 
 
227 
 
 Then the husband, after bidding farewell to his relatives and 
 friends, was placed on another bier, with a pot of water and seven 
 small loaves, and was let down in the same manner. The cere- 
 mony being over, the mouth of the pit was again covered with 
 the stone, and the company returned. 
 
 I mention this ceremony especially because I was myself in a 
 few weeks' time in the same dreadful situation. Alas ! my own 
 wife fell sick and died. I begged of the king not to subject me, 
 a foreigner, to this inhuman law, but it was of no use. He, and 
 all his court, and the principal persons of the city, tried to soften 
 my sorrow by honoring the funeral with their presence, and at the 
 end of the ceremony I was lowered into the pit with a vessel of 
 water and seven loaves. As I approached the bottom I discov- 
 ered, by the aid of the little light that came from above, that it 
 was a cavern, and about three hundred feet deep. 
 
 I lived for some time upon my bread and water, when one 
 day I heard something move, and breathe or pant as it moved. 
 I followed the sound. It came from an animal of some kind, 
 and the animal often stopped, but always fled and breathed hard 
 as I approached. At last I saw a light, resembling a star, and 
 found that it came through an opening in the rock. Forcing my 
 way through this opening, I came upon the seashore, at which I 
 felt great joy. I then returned to the cave, and took from it a 
 great quantity of jewels and other valuable things which had been 
 buried there with the dead people and their living companions. 
 
 Soon afterwards, as I was sitting on the beach, I saw a ship 
 approaching. I made a sign with the linen of my turban, and 
 called to the crew as loud as I could. They heard me, and sent 
 a boat to bring me on board. The captain received me with 
 great kindness, took me and my property aboard his ship, and 
 proceeded on his voyage. I arrived safely at Bagdad. Out of 
 gratitude to God for His mercies, I contributed liberally towards 
 the support of the poor. 
 
 Here Sindbad made another present of one hundred gold 
 pieces to Hindbad, and requested him to return with the rest of 
 
228 
 
 the company next day at the same hour, to dine with him, and 
 hear the story of his fifth voyage. 
 
 SINDBAD'S FIFTH VOYAGE. 
 
 All that I had suffered could not cure me of my love for travel, 
 and so I soon resolved to take another voyage. I therefore bought 
 a stock of goods, and set out with them for the city of Bussorah. 
 Shortly after my arrival there, as I was walking along the bank of 
 the river, I saw a very large and handsome ship, which pleased 
 me so well that I purchased it. Then I hired a captain and sail- 
 ors, and put my goods on board. But as my goods were not 
 enough to load the vessel, I agreed to take with me several mer- 
 chants and their goods. 
 
 We sailed with the first fair wind, and went from island to 
 island, and sea to sea, landing at several ports, and selling and 
 buying. Thus we continued until we arrived one day at an island 
 in which there were no inhabitants. As we approached this 
 island we noticed upon it a large white object resembling a dome. 
 Upon landing we found that it was the egg of a roc. There was 
 a young roc in it, and its beak had begun to appear through the 
 shell. Some of the merchants broke the egg with stones, took 
 out the young bird, killed it, and made a meal of it. I had 
 warned them not to meddle with the egg, but they paid no heed 
 to my words. Scarcely had they finished their meal when there 
 appeared in the air, at a considerable distance, something like 
 two dark clouds. The master of my ship said it was the parent 
 birds, the male and female rocs, and he advised us to get aboard 
 as quickly as possible. So we made haste to embark, and hav- 
 ing loosed the ship, we departed with the greatest speed. 
 
 Meanwhile the two rocs approached with a frightful noise, 
 which they redoubled when they saw the egg broken, and the 
 young one gone. They then flew back in the direction from 
 which they had come, and disappeared for a short time, while 
 
22Q 
 
 we endeavored to increase our speed in getting away from the 
 island. The rocs soon returned, and we observed that each 
 had in its talons a huge stone. They came directly over our 
 ship, and one of them let drop a stone. It missed us by a 
 little space, owing to the skill of our captain, who quickly steered 
 the vessel to one side. Then the other roc let fall its stone. It 
 hit the ship right in the middle and split it into pieces. Some 
 of the sailors and passengers were crushed to death; the others 
 fell into the sea. I fortunately caught hold of a piece of the 
 wreck, and swimming, sometimes with one hand and sometimes 
 with the other, but always holding fast to the plank, I came to 
 an island, and got safely ashore. 
 
 I sat down upon the grass, to recover myself from my fatigue, 
 after which I went into the island to explore. It seemed to be 
 a beautiful garden. I found trees everywhere, some of 
 them bearing green, and others ripe, fruits, and there were also 
 streams of fresh, pure water. I ate of the fruits, which I found 
 excellent, and drank of the water, which was very pure and 
 good. 
 
 When I had gone a little way into the island, I saw an old 
 man, who appeared very weak and infirm. He was sitting on 
 the bank of a stream, and at first I took him to be one who had 
 been shipwrecked like myself. I went towards him and saluted 
 him, but he only slightly bowed his head. I asked him why he 
 sat so still. Instead of answering me, he made a sign for me to 
 take him upon my back, and carry him over the brook. Thinking 
 that he was really in need of assistance, I took him upon my 
 back, and having carried him over, I stooped, that he might get 
 off with ease. Instead of doing so, the old man threw his legs 
 nimbly about my neck, and, sitting astride my shoulders, held 
 my throat so tight that I fainted away. 
 
 In spite of my fainting, the ill-natured old fellow still kept 
 his seat upon my neck. When I recovered my breath, he thrust 
 one of his feet against my side, and struck me so roughly with 
 the other that he forced me to rise up against my will. He 
 
230 
 
 made me carry him under the trees, and compelled me now and 
 then to stop, that he might gather and eat fruit. He never left 
 his seat all day, and when I lay down to rest at night, he laid 
 himself down with me, holding fast about my neck. Every 
 morning he pinched me to make me wake, and afterwards 
 obliged me to get up and walk, and spurred me with his feet. 
 
 One day I found several dry gourds that had fallen from a 
 tree. I took a large one, and, after cleaning it, pressed into 
 it some juice of grapes, which were plentiful in the island. I 
 put it by in a convenient place, and going there again some days 
 after, I tasted the wine, and found it so good that I began to 
 sing and dance as I carried my burden. The old man, seeing the 
 effect which the juice had upon me, and that I carried him with, 
 more ease than before, made me a sign to give him some of it. 
 I handed him the gourd, and he drank it off. He soon began to 
 sing, and to move about from side to side in his seat upon my 
 shoulders. By degrees he loosened his legs from about me, and 
 finding that he did not press me as before, I threw him upon the 
 ground, where he lay without motion. I then took up a great 
 stone and killed him. 
 
 I was very glad to be free from this troublesome fellow. I 
 now walked towards the beach, where I met the crew of a ship 
 that had cast anchor to take in water. They were surprised to 
 see me, but more so at hearing of my adventures. ' ' You fell, ' ' 
 said they, " into the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and you 
 are the first who ever escaped him. He never quits those he 
 once makes himself master of, till he destroys them, and he has 
 killed many men in this island. ' ' They carried me with them to 
 the captain, who received me with great kindness. We put out 
 again to sea, and after some days' sail, we arrived at the harbor 
 of a great city, the houses of which overhung the sea. 
 
 One of the merchants invited me to go along with him. He 
 gave me a large sack, and, recommending me to some people of 
 the town who made their living by gathering cocoanuts, desired 
 them to take me with them. " Go," said he to me, " follow 
 
231 
 
 them, and act as you see them do, but do not separate from 
 them, otherwise you may lose your life." He then gave me 
 provisions for the journey, and I went with them. We came to 
 a thick forest of cocoa trees, very lofty, with trunks so smooth 
 that it was not possible to get to the branches that bore the fruit. 
 When we entered the forest we saw a great number of apes, who 
 fled as soon as they noticed us, and climbed to the tops of the 
 trees with amazing swiftness. The merchants gathered stones, 
 and threw them at the apes on the trees. I did the same, and 
 the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoanuts at us very fast, and 
 with such gestures as showed that they were angry. We gathered 
 up the cocoanuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke 
 the apes. By this plan we filled our bags with cocoanuts. 
 
 Having loaded our vessel with cocoanuts, we set sail, and 
 passed by the islands where pepper grows in great plenty. We 
 then went to the isle of Comari, where the best species of wood 
 of aloes grows. I exchanged my cocoanuts in those two islands 
 for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with the other merchants 
 pearl fishing. I hired divers, who brought me up some pearls 
 that were very large and pure. Soon afterwards I embarked in a 
 vessel that arrived safely at Bussorah, from which I returned to 
 Bagdad, where I got vast sums for my pepper, wood of aloes, 
 and pearls. I gave the tenth of my gains in alms to the poor, 
 and rested from my fatigue. 
 
 Sindbad, having finished his stories, gave another purse of a 
 hundred gold pieces to Hindbad. He also bestowed many other 
 favors upon him, and they continued to be friends and com- 
 panions to the end of their lives. 
 
 STORY OF ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES. 
 
 There once lived in a town of Persia two brothers, one named 
 Cassim, and the other AH Baba. Their father divided a small 
 property equally between them. Cassim married a rich wife, and 
 
232 
 
 became a wealthy merchant. Ali Baba married a woman as 
 poor as himself, and lived by cutting wood, and bringing it upon 
 asses into the town to sell. 
 
 One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, and had just cut 
 wood enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a great cloud 
 of dust, which seemed to approach him. He saw soon after- 
 wards a body of horsemen, who he thought might be thieves. 
 To save himself, he left his asses and climbed up a large tree, 
 whose branches were thick enough to conceal him and yet permit 
 him to see all that passed, without being discovered. 
 
 The troop, which numbered forty, all well armed, came to the 
 foot of the tree, and there dismounted. Every man unbridled 
 his horse, tied him to a shrub, and hung about his neck a bag of 
 corn. Then each of them took off his saddlebag, which seemed 
 to Ali Baba to be full of gold and silver. One of the troop, who 
 appeared to be the captain, came under the tree in which Ali 
 Baba was, and, making his way through the shrubs to a rock near 
 the tree, said these words : ' ' Open, Sesame. ' ' Instantly a door 
 opened in the rock, and all the troop then entered and the door 
 shut of itself. 
 
 The thieves stayed some time within the rock, during which 
 Ali Baba, fearful of being caught, remained in the tree. At last 
 the door opened again. The captain came out first, and stood 
 to see them all pass by him. Then Ali Baba heard him make 
 the door close by saying these words: " Shut, Sesame." Every 
 man at once went and bridled his horse and mounted again. 
 When the captain saw them all ready, he put himself at their 
 head, and they departed the way they had come. 
 
 Ali Baba followed them with his eyes as far as he could see 
 them, and afterwards waited for some time before he descended. 
 Remembering the words the captain of the thieves used to cause 
 the door to open, he thought he would try if his saying the same 
 words would have the same effect. Accordingly he went among 
 the shrubs, and, seeing the door, stood before it, and said, 
 "Open, Sesame." The door instantly flew wide open. Ali 
 
233 
 
 Baba, who expected to find a dark, dismal cavern, was surprised 
 to see a chamber lighted from an opening at the top of the rock. 
 In this chamber were all sorts of provisions, rich bales of 
 silk, valuable carpeting, gold and silver bars in great heaps, and 
 money in bags. The sight of all these riches made AH Baba 
 suppose that this cave must have been occupied by robbers for a 
 long time. He took as many of the bags of gold as he thought 
 his asses could carry, and having loaded them, he laid wood 
 over the bags in such a manner that they could not be seen. 
 After passing in and out as often as he wished, he stood before 
 the door, and said the words, " Shut, Sesame." Immediately 
 the door closed of itself. He then returned to the town. 
 
 When he got home, AH Baba drove his asses into a little yard, 
 shut the gates very carefully, threw off the wood, carried the bags 
 into his house, and ranged them in order before his wife. He 
 then emptied them upon the floor, and the great heap of gold 
 dazzled his wife's eyes. He told her the whole adventure from 
 beginning to end, and requested her to keep it secret. She 
 rejoiced very much at their good fortune, and wished to count 
 all the gold, piece by piece. " Wife," said AH Baba, " you do 
 not know what you undertake when you try to count the money; 
 you will never have done. I will dig a hole, and bury it. There 
 is no time to be lost. " " You are right, husband, ' ' replied she, 
 " but I would like to know, as near as possible, how much we 
 have. I will borrow a small measure, and measure it, while 
 you dig the hole." 
 
 Away she then ran to the house of her brother-in-law Cassim, 
 who lived close by, and requested his wife to lend her a measure 
 for a little while. Her sister-in-law asked whether* she would 
 have a large or a small one. The other asked for a small one. 
 She bade her stay a little, and she would fetch it. Now Cassim's 
 wife was curious to know what sort of grain AH Baba's wife 
 wanted to measure, and so, putting some suet at the bottom of 
 the vessel, she brought it to her, with an . excuse that she was 
 sorry to have made her wait so long. 
 
234 
 
 Ali Baba's wife then went home, set the measure upon the 
 heap of gold, filled it, and emptied it upon the sofa, and so 
 continued till she had measured all the gold. She then told her 
 husband how many measures there were, and while he was bury- 
 ing the treasure, she carried the vessel back to her sister-in-law. 
 " Sister," said she, " you see I have not kept your measure 
 long. I am obliged to you for it, and return it with thanks. ' ' 
 
 As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's wife looked at 
 the bottom of the measure, and was surprised to find a piece of 
 gold sticking to it. " What! " said she, " has Ali Baba gold so 
 plentiful as to measure it ? Where has he got all this wealth ? ' ' 
 When her husband came home, she said to him, " Cassim, I 
 know you think . yourself rich, but Ali Baba is richer than you. 
 He does not count his money, but measures it." Cassim asked 
 her what she meant. Then she told him how she had made 
 the discovery, and showed him the piece of money, which 
 was so old that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was 
 coined. 
 
 Cassim, after he had married the rich wife, had never treated 
 Ali Baba as a brother, but neglected him, and now, instead of 
 being pleased, he envied his brother because of his prosperity. 
 He could not sleep all that night, and went to him in the 
 morning before sunrise. " Ali Baba," said he, " I am surprised 
 at you ; you pretend to be poor, and yet you measure gold. My 
 wife found this at the bottom of the measure you borrowed yes- 
 terday. " Ali Baba saw that Cassim and his wife, through his 
 own wife's folly, knew what he had so much reason to conceal. 
 But what was done could not be undone. Therefore, without 
 showing the least surprise or anger, he told his brother all, and 
 offered him part of his treasure to keep the secret. " I expect 
 as much, ' ' replied Cassim, haughtily, ' ' but I must know exactly 
 where this treasure is, and how I may visit it myself when I 
 choose. If you do not tell me, I will go and inform against you, 
 and then you will get no more, and lose all you have, and I 
 shall have a share for my information." Ali Baba told him all 
 
he desired, even to the very words he was to use to open the 
 door of the cave. 
 
 Cassim rose the next morning long before the sun, and set out for 
 the forest, with ten mules bearing great chests which he intended 
 to fill. Following the road Ali Baba had pointed out to him, he 
 was not long before he reached the rock. He found out the 
 place by the tree and other marks which his brother had given 
 him. When he reached the entrance of the cave, he said the 
 words, " Open, Sesame." The door immediately opened, and, 
 when he was in, closed upon him. He quickly laid as many 
 bags of gold as he could carry, at the door, but his thoughts were 
 so full of the riches he should possess that he could not think 
 of the words to make it open. Instead of " Open, Sesame," he 
 said, " Open, Barley! " and was much surprised to find that the 
 door remained fast shut. He named several sorts of grain, but 
 still the door would not open. 
 
 Cassim had never expected this, and he was so alarmed at the 
 danger he was in that he threw aside the bags, and walked up 
 and down the cave, without having the least regard to the riches 
 that were around him. 
 
 About noon the thieves came to visit the cave. When at 
 some distance from the rock, they saw Cassim' s mules straggling 
 about with great chests on their backs. Alarmed at this, they 
 galloped full speed to the cave. They went directly, with their 
 daggers in their hands, to the door, which, on the captain say- 
 ing the proper words, immediately opened. Cassim, who heard 
 the noise of the horses' feet, at once guessed the arrival of the 
 thieves, and resolved to make an effort for his life. He rushed 
 to the door, ran out, and knocked the leader down, but could 
 not escape the others, who instantly killed him. 
 
 The robbers then examined the cave. They found all the 
 bags which Cassim had brought to the door, and carried them 
 again to their places, but they did not miss what Ali Baba had 
 taken. Then, to terrify any person who should attempt the 
 same thing, they cut Cassim' s body into quarters, and hung two 
 
236 
 
 on one side, and two on the other, within the door of the cave. 
 After doing this, they shut the door, mounted their horses, and 
 rode away. 
 
 In the mean time Cassim's wife was very uneasy when night 
 came and her husband did not return. She ran to AH Baba in 
 great alarm, and said, " I believe, brother-in-law, that you know 
 Cassim is gone to the forest, and upon what business. It is now 
 night, and he has not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has 
 happened to him." AH Baba told her that she need not be 
 uneasy, for that Cassim would not think it safe to come into 
 the town until the night should be pretty far advanced. She 
 then went home and waited patiently till midnight, but Cassim 
 not yet returning, she now repented her foolish curiosity in pry- 
 ing into the affairs of her brother and sister-in-law. She spent 
 all the night weeping, and, as soon as it was day, went to them, 
 telling by her tears that her husband had not come home. 
 
 Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to ask him to go to 
 see what had happened to Cassim, but departed immediately 
 with three asses. He went to the forest, and when he came 
 near the rock he said the words, "Open, Sesame," and the door 
 opened. At the sight of his brother's body he was struck with 
 horror. He was not long in determining what to do. Going 
 into the cave, he wrapped the body up in a cloth, and placed it 
 on one of the asses, covering it over with wood. The other two 
 asses he loaded with bags of gold, and then bidding the door 
 shut, came away. But he was so cautious as to wait some time 
 at the end of the forest, that he might not go into the town be- 
 fore night. When he came home, he drove the two asses loaded 
 with gold into his little yard, and left the care of unloading them 
 to his wife, while he led the other to his sister-in-law's house. 
 
 Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened by Morgiana, 
 a clever, intelligent, female slave. When he came into the yard, 
 he unloaded the ass, and, taking Morgiana aside, said to her, 
 " You must keep this matter secret. Your master's body is con- 
 tained in this cloth. We must bury him as if he died a natural 
 
237 
 
 death. Go now and tell your mistress. ' ' He then returned to 
 his own house. 
 
 Morgiana went next morning to an apothecary's shop and 
 bought some medicine. The apothecary asked who was ill. She 
 replied, with a sigh, " My good master, Cassim himself. He 
 can neither eat nor speak." In the evening she went to the 
 same shop again, and, with tears in her eyes, asked for medi- 
 cine which they gave to sick people only when at the point 
 of death. " Alas," said she, taking it from the apothecary, 
 " I am afraid that this remedy will have no better effect than 
 the other, and that I will lose my master." Nobody was sur- 
 prised, therefore, to hear in the evening that Cassim was dead. 
 
 The next morning at daybreak, Morgiana went to an old cob- 
 bler whom she knew to be always early at his stall, and, bidding 
 him good morrow, put a piece of gold in his hand, saying, ' ' Baba 
 Mustapha, bring with you your sewing tackle, and come with me; 
 but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you before you come to 
 where you are wanted." 
 
 Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, and after she had bound 
 his eyes with a handkerchief at some distance off, she led him to 
 her master's house, and did not take the bandage off his eyes till 
 he had entered the room where she had put the corpse. " Baba 
 Mustapha," said she, " you must make haste and sew the parts 
 of this body together, and when you have done, I will give you 
 another piece of gold. ' ' After Baba Mustapha had finished his 
 task, she blindfolded him again, gave him the piece of gold, as 
 she had promised, and led him back to the place where she had 
 first bound his eyes. Then she pulled off the bandage, and let 
 him go, but watched him till he was quite out of sight, for fear 
 he should return and try to find out where he had been. Fun- 
 eral ceremonies were then performed, and Cassim was buried. 
 Three or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba removed his goods 
 and furniture to his sister-in-law's house, in which it was agreed 
 that he should in future live. Cassim's warehouse was entrusted 
 entirely to the management of his eldest son. 
 
In the mean time the forty thieves again visited the cave in the 
 forest. Great was their surprise to find Cassim's body taken 
 away, and also several of their bags of gold. ' ' We are certainly 
 discovered, ' ' said the captain. ' ' The removal of the body, and 
 the loss of some of our money, plainly show that the man we 
 killed had a companion here, and for our own safety we must try 
 and find him. What say you, my lads ? " All the thieves ap- 
 proved of the captain's proposal. " Well," said the captain, 
 " one of you, the boldest and most skillful, must immediately go 
 into the town, disguised as a traveler and a stranger, and inquire 
 about the man we have killed, and try to find out who he was 
 and where he lived. This is a matter of the greatest importance, 
 and, for fear of any treachery, I propose that whoever undertakes 
 the business, and does not succeed, shall suffer death. ' ' Imme- 
 diately one of the thieves started up, and said, " I agree to this 
 condition, and think it an honor to serve the troop, even at the 
 risk of my life. ' ' 
 
 This thief then disguised himself, and, taking leave of the 
 troop that night, went into the town just at daybreak. He 
 walked up and down till he happened to come to Baba Musta- 
 pha's stall, which was always open before any of the shops. 
 Baba Mustapha was seated with an awl in his hand, just going to 
 work. The robber saluted him, bidding him good morrow, and, 
 seeing that he was old, said, " Honest man, you begin to work 
 very early; is it possible that one of your age can see so well ? " 
 " You do not know me," replied Baba Mustapha; " for old as 
 I am, I have good eyes. You will not doubt it when I tell you 
 that I sewed the body of a dead man together in a place where 
 I had not so much light as I have now. " "A dead body ! ' ' 
 exclaimed the thief, pretending to be astonished. ' ' Yes, ' ' an- 
 swered Baba Mustapha. ' ' No doubt you want to hear all about 
 it, but you shall know no more. ' ' 
 
 The thief felt sure that he had discovered what he was in 
 Search of. He pulled out a piece of gold, and, putting it into 
 Baba Mustapha's hand, said to him, " I do not want to learn 
 
239 
 
 your secret, though I assure you, you might safely trust me with 
 it. The only thing I desire of you is to show me the house 
 where you stitched up the dead body. " " Even though I were 
 willing to do that, ' ' replied Baba Mustapha, ' ' I assure you I can- 
 not. I was taken to a place from which I was led blindfold to 
 the house, and afterwards brought back again in the same man- 
 ner. You see, therefore, that I cannot do what you desire." 
 " Well," replied the thief, " you may, however, remember a 
 little of the way that you were led blindfold. Come, let me 
 blind your eyes at the same place. We will walk together; per- 
 haps you may know some part, and as everybody ought to be 
 paid for his trouble, here is another piece of gold for you. ' ' So 
 saying, he put another piece of gold into his hand. 
 
 The two pieces of gold were a great temptation to Baba Mus- 
 tapha. He looked at them a long time, without saying a word, 
 but at last he pulled out his purse and put them in. "I cannot 
 promise," said he, " that I shall remember the way exactly; but 
 I will try what I can do. ' ' He then led the robber to the place 
 where Morgiana bound his eyes. " It was here," said Baba 
 Mustapha, " I was blindfolded, and I turned this way." The 
 thief tied a handkerchief over his eyes, and walked by him till 
 he stopped in front of Cassim's house, where Ali Baba lived. 
 Before taking off the bandage the thief marked the door with a 
 piece of chalk, which he had ready in his hand, and then asked 
 the cobbler if he knew whose house that was. Baba Mustapha 
 replied that as he did not live in the neighborhood, he could 
 not tell. The thief, finding that he could discover no more from 
 Baba Mustapha, thanked him for the trouble he had taken, and 
 left him to go back to his stall, while he himself returned to 
 the forest. 
 
 A little while after the thief and Baba Mustapha had parted, 
 Morgiana went out of Ali Baba's house upon some errand, and 
 on her return, seeing the mark the robber had made on the door, 
 she stopped to look at it. " What can be the meaning of this 
 mark?" said she to herself; "somebody intends evil to my 
 
240 
 
 master. ' ' She then fetched a piece of chalk, and marked two or 
 three doors on each side, in the same manner, without saying a 
 word to her master or mistress. 
 
 In the mean time the thief rejoined his troop in the forest, 
 and told them what he had done. They listened to him with 
 the utmost satisfaction. Then the captain, addressing them, said, 
 " Comrades, we have no time to lose; let us set off well armed. 
 But that we may not excite suspicion, let only one or two go into 
 the city together, and all join at our meeting place, which shall 
 be the great square. Meantime, our comrade who brought us 
 the good news, and I, will go and find out the house." They 
 accordingly started off in parties of two each, and got into the 
 towji without being suspected, the captain, and he who had 
 visited the town in the morning as a spy, coming in last. The 
 spy led the captain into the street where he had marked Ali 
 Baba's door, and when they came to the first of the houses which 
 Morgiana had marked, he pointed it out. But the captain no- 
 ticed that the next door was marked in the same manner, and 
 showing it to his guide, he asked him which house it was, that, 
 or the first. The spy was so confused that he knew not what 
 answer to make, and he was still more puzzled when they saw 
 five or six doors similarly marked. He could not, therefore, 
 tell the house at which the cobbler had stopped. 
 
 The captain, finding that their scheme had proved a failure, 
 went to the place of meeting and told his troop that they had 
 lost their labor, and must return to their cave. This they ac- 
 cordingly did, and the spy, not having succeeded, was put to 
 death, as had been agreed. 
 
 Another of the gang then offered to try what he could do, and 
 he went to Baba Mustapha and gave him pieces of gold, as the 
 first spy had done. When Baba had shown the house, he 
 marked the door with chalk, but he used red chalk, and he 
 made the mark in a place where he thought it would not be 
 easily noticed. Not long afterwards Morgiana came out. The 
 mark on the door did not escape her eyes. She saw it, and 
 
241 
 
 thinking, as before, that it meant evil to her master, she marked 
 the other doors, using red chalk too. Again the thieves went 
 into the town, and again their scheme proved a failure, for the 
 second spy could not point out the door, being confused, as the 
 first had been, by finding several doors marked. He also was 
 put to death. 
 
 The captain now resolved to take upon himself the task of 
 finding the house. Accordingly he went to Baba Mustapha, who 
 did for him what he had done for the other thieves. The cap- 
 tain, however, did not mark the door, but he examined and 
 noticed it carefully, making sure that he should know it again. 
 He then returned to the forest, and when he entered the cave 
 where the troop waited for him, he said, " Now, comrades, noth- 
 ing can prevent our full revenge, as I am certain of the house, 
 and on my way I have thought of a plan which I believe will be 
 successful. ' ' He then ordered them to go into the villages about, 
 and buy nineteen mules, with thirty-eight large leather jars, one 
 full of oil, and the others empty. 
 
 In two or three days the thieves had purchased the mules and 
 jars, and as the mouths of the jars were too narrqw, the captain 
 caused them to be widened. Then, putting one of his men into 
 each, with the weapons which he thought fit, and leaving open a 
 seam to give them room to breathe, he rubbed the jars on the 
 outside with oil from the full vessel. When the nineteen mules 
 were loaded with thirty-seven thieves in jars, and the jar of oil, 
 the captain, as their driver, set out with them, and reached the 
 town by the dusk of the evening. He led them through the 
 streets till he came to AH Baba's house, at the door of which he 
 had intended to knock. But AH Baba himself was just then sit- 
 ting there after supper to take a little fresh air. The captain 
 stopped his mules and said, " I have brought some oil a great 
 way, to sell at to-morrow's market, and it is so late that I have 
 not time to search for a place to lodge. Do me the favor to let 
 me pass the night with you, and I shall be very much obliged." 
 
 >io\v, though AH Baba had seen the captain of the thieves in 
 
 ARAHIAN NIGHTS l6 
 
242 
 
 the forest, and had heard him speak, he did not know him in the 
 dress of an oil merchant. He told him he should be welcome, 
 and immediately opened his gates for the mules to go into the 
 yard. At the same time he called to his slave, Abdalla, and 
 ordered him to put the mules into the stable and feed them. 
 He then bade Morgiana get a good supper for his guest. After 
 the captain had finished supper, Ali Baba said to Morgiana, ' ' To- 
 morrow I go to the bath before day; take care that my bathing 
 linen be ready, give it to Abdalla, and have some good broth 
 ready for me by the time I return. ' ' He then went to bed. 
 
 In the mean time the captain of the thieves went into the yard, 
 and, taking off the lid of each jar, gave his people orders what 
 to do. Beginning at the first jar, and so on to the last, he said 
 to each man, " As soon as I throw some stones out of the win- 
 dow of the room in which I lie, do not fail to come out, and I 
 will immediately join you. ' ' After this, he returned to the house, 
 and Morgiana, taking a light, conducted him to his chamber, 
 where she left him. He put the light out soon afterwards, and 
 laid himself down in his clothes. 
 
 Morgiana, remembering Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing 
 linen ready, and told Abdalla to set on the pot for the broth. 
 But while she was preparing it, the lamp went out, and there 
 was no more oil in the house, nor were there any candles. Ab- 
 dalla, seeing her very uneasy, said, ' ' Do not fret, but go into 
 the yard, and take some oil out of one of the jars." 
 
 Thanking Abdalla for his advice, Morgiana took the oil pot, 
 and went into the yard. When she came near the first jar, the 
 thief within said softly, " Is it time ? " Though much surprised 
 at finding that there was a man in the jar instead of the oil she 
 wanted, Morgiana felt the importance of keeping silence, 
 as she suspected that Ali Baba, his family, and herself were 
 in great danger. Without showing the least feeling she answered, 
 " Not yet, but presently." She went quietly in this manner to 
 all the jars, giving to each thief the same answer to the same 
 question, till shs came to the jar of oil. By this means Mor- 
 
243 
 
 giana found out that her master, Ali Baba, had admitted thirty- 
 eight thieves, and that the pretended oil merchant was their 
 captain. She made what haste she could to fill her oil pot, and 
 returned into the kitchen. Then, having lighted her lamp, she 
 took a great kettle, went again to the oil jar, filled the kettle, 
 set it on a large wood fire, and, as soon as it boiled, went and 
 poured enough into every jar to destroy the thief within. 
 
 When Morgiana had performed this courageous act, she re- 
 turned to the kitchen with the empty kettle. Then she put out 
 the lamp, and remained silent, resolving not to go to rest till 
 she had seen through a window of the kitchen, which opened 
 into the yard, what would happen. Soon the captain of the 
 thieves got up -and opened the window. Seeing no light, and 
 hearing no noise, he gave the appointed signal by throwing little 
 stones, several of which hit the jars. He then listened, but not 
 hearing anything from which he could judge that his companions 
 stirred, he began to grow uneasy, and he threw stones a second 
 and a third time. Receiving no answer, and becoming much 
 alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and going to the first 
 jar, whilst asking the thief, whom he thought alive, if he was 
 in readiness, he smelled the boiled oil, which sent forth a steam. 
 Then he examined all the jars, one after another, and found 
 that all his gang were dead. Greatly terrified at this discovery, 
 he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard to a garden, 
 and, climbing over the walls, made his escape. Morgiana then 
 went to bed, satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so well in 
 saving her master and his family. 
 
 Ali Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, went to 
 the baths, ignorant of what had happened at home. When he 
 returned, he was much surprised to see the oil jars, and to find 
 that the merchant had not taken away the mules. He asked 
 Morgiana the reason of it. " My good master," answered she, 
 " God preserve you and all your family. You will be better 
 informed of what you wish to know when you have seen what I 
 have to show you. ' ' She then took him out, and let him see 
 
244 
 
 what was in the jars, after which she told him all she had done, 
 from first observing the mark upon the door, to the destruction 
 of the thieves, and the flight of their captain. On hearing of 
 these brave deeds from the lips of Morgiana, AH Baba said to 
 her, " God, by your means, has saved me from the snares these 
 thieves laid for my destruction. Therefore I owe my life to you, 
 and, as a proof of my gratitude, I give you your liberty from, 
 this moment." 
 
 Now Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the farther 
 end by a great number of large trees. Near these he and the 
 slave Abdalla dug a trench in which they buried the bodies of 
 the thieves. When this was done, Ali Baba hid the jars and 
 weapons, and as he had no need for the mules, he sent them at 
 different times to be sold in the market by his slave. 
 
 Meantime, the captain of the thieves returned to the forest. 
 He did not stay long, for he resolved to have revenge on Ali 
 Baba, and by some means bring about his death. With this ob- 
 ject he went back to the town, and took lodgings in a khan, 
 pretending that he was a merchant dealing in silks, and giving 
 himself the name of Cogia Houssain. He gradually conveyed 
 a stock of silks and linen from the cave to his lodging, and in 
 order to sell them he hired a store near the place occupied by 
 Ali Baba's son. The two men very soon became acquainted, 
 and they often visited each other as friends. One day they took 
 a walk together, and as they returned, Ali Baba's son took Cogia 
 Houssain through the street where his father lived, and, when 
 they came to the house, stopped and knocked at the door. 
 
 Ali Baba received Cogia Houssain in a very friendly manner, 
 and after a little conversation invited him to remain for supper. 
 " Sir," replied Cogia Houssain, " you must excuse me. I can 
 eat no food that contains salt; therefore I should be a very dis- 
 agreeable guest at your table. " " Let that not prevent you from 
 accepting my invitation," said Ali Baba, " for there is no salt 
 ever put in my bread, and I shall take care that there shall be 
 no salt on the meat we shall have for supper. ' ' Cogia Houssain 
 
245 
 
 then consented to stay, and Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and 
 ordered Morgiana to put no salt in the food she was preparing 
 for their evening meal. Morgiana was surprised at this order. 
 " Who is the strange man," she asked, ' who eats no salt with 
 his meat ? " " Do not be angry, Morgiana," replied Ali Baba; 
 " he is an honest man, therefore do as I bid you." 
 
 Morgiana obeyed, but she wished to see this man who ate no 
 salt. Therefore, when she had finished what she had to do in the 
 kitchen, she helped Abdalla to carry up the dishes. Looking at 
 Cogia Houssain, she knew him at first sight to be the captain of 
 the thieves, and observing him very carefully, she saw that he 
 had a dagger under his garment. " I am not surprised," said 
 she to herself, " that this wicked man, who is my master's 
 greatest enemy, would eat no salt with him, since he intends to 
 kill him; but I will prevent his evil design." 
 
 She then retired, and after supper she dressed herself neatly, 
 with a headdress like a dancer, girded her waist with a silver-gilt 
 girdle, to which there hung a dagger with a hilt and guard of 
 silver, and put on a handsome mask on her face. Then she said 
 to Abdalla, " Take your tabor, and let us go and amuse our 
 master and his son's friend, as we do sometimes when he is 
 alone." Abdalla took his tabor and played all the way into the 
 hall before Morgiana, who, when she came to the door, made a 
 low bow. " Come in, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, " and let Cogia 
 Houssain see what you can do, that he may tell us what he thinks 
 of your performance. ' ' 
 
 Abdalla then began to play on the tabor, and accompanied it 
 with an air, to which Morgiana danced in such a manner as would 
 have created admiration in any company. After she had danced 
 several dances with much grace, she drew the dagger, and, hold- 
 ing it in her hand, began a dance in which she outdid herself by 
 the many different figures, light movements, and the surprising 
 leaps with which she accompanied it. Sometimes she pointed 
 the dagger at the breast of one of the company, sometimes at 
 another, and oftentimes seemed to strike her own. At last she 
 
Drawn by R. B. Birch, 
 
 (246) 
 
 MORGIANA'S DANCE. 
 
247 
 
 snatched the tabor from Abdalla with her left hand, and, holding 
 the dagger in her right, turned the other side of the tabor, after 
 the manner of those who get a livelihood by dancing, and ask 
 for money from the spectators. AH Baba put a piece of gold 
 into the tabor. His son did the same, and Cogia Houssain, 
 seeing that she was coming to him, pulled out his purse, but 
 while he was putting his hand into it, Morgiana plunged the dag- 
 ger into his body. 
 
 Ali Baba and his son, shocked at this action, cried out aloud. 
 ' ' Unhappy woman, ' ' exclaimed Ali Baba, ' ' what have you done 
 to ruin me and my family ? " "It was to preserve, not to ruin 
 you," answered Morgiana; "for see here," continued she, 
 opening the pretended Cogia Houssain' s garment, and showing 
 the dagger, " what an enemy you had in your house. Look well 
 at him, and you will find him to be both the pretended oil mer- 
 chant, and the captain of the gang of thieves. Remember, too, 
 that he would eat no salt with you; and what would you have 
 more to show his wicked design ? ' ' 
 
 Ali Baba felt that he owed a debt of gratitude to Morgiana for 
 saving his life a second time. " Morgiana, ' ' said he, "I gave you 
 your liberty, and then promised you that my gratitude should 
 not stop there. I now make you my daughter-in-law." Then 
 addressing his son, he said, " I believe you, son, to be so dutiful 
 a child that when I command you, you will not refuse to take 
 Morgiana for your wife. You see that Cogia Houssain gained your 
 friendship with a design to take away my life. If he had suc- 
 ceeded, there is no doubt he would have killed you also. Con- 
 sider that by marrying Morgiana you marry the preserver of my 
 family and your own. ' ' The son, far from showing any dislike, 
 readily consented to the marriage, and a few days afterwards 
 the wedding was celebrated with great rejoicing. 
 
 Ali Baba did not visit the thieves' cave for a whole year, as he 
 thought the two spies, whom he could get no account of, might 
 be alive. At the year's end, when he found that they had not at- 
 tempted to disturb him, he thought he would make another jour- 
 
248 
 
 ney to the cave. So he mounted his horse, and when he came 
 to the cave he alighted, and tied his horse to a tree. Then he 
 approached the entrance, and when he said the words, " Open, 
 Sesame," the door opened. He entered the cave, and from the 
 condition in which he found it, he was sure that nobody had been 
 there since the captain had fetched the goods for his shop. He 
 therefore believed that he was the only person in the world who 
 had the secret of opening the cave, and that all the treasure was 
 his. After putting as much gold into his saddlebag as his horse 
 could carry, he returned to town. Some time later he took his 
 son to the cave and taught him the secret, which he handed 
 down to his children, who, by using their good, fortune with 
 wisdom, lived in great prosperity and happiness. 
 
 STORY OF THE MAN WHO REPENTED WHEN IT 
 WAS TOO LATE. 
 
 There was once a rich man, who died leaving no family but a 
 young son. When the son grew up he was foolish and extrava- 
 gant. He did nothing every day but give parties and entertain- 
 ments to his companions, and in this way he spent all his money, 
 He then sold the houses and other property his father had left 
 him, and spent the money in the same way, till he was so poor 
 that he had to go and work for his living as a day-laborer. 
 
 He remained in this employment for a few years. One day 
 while he was sitting near a wall waiting for some one to hire him, 
 he was saluted by a handsome and well-dressed man who hap- 
 pened to pass by. In reply to the stranger's salute, the youth 
 said, " Have you known me before now ? " The man answered, 
 " I have not known thee, my son, at all, but I see the signs of 
 wealth upon thee, though thou art now in this poor condition. ' ' 
 The youth replied, " What fate and fortune ordained has come 
 to pass. But have you any business in which to employ me ? " 
 Then the man said to him, " I desire to employ thee in an easy 
 
249 
 
 business. I have with me ten companions in one house, and we 
 have no one to attend upon us. Thou shalt receive from us thy 
 food and clothing and thy portion of money if thou come and 
 serve us. Perhaps God will restore thy wealth by our means. ' ' 
 The youth replied, ' ' I hear and obey. ' ' Then the stranger said 
 to him, " I have one condition to impose upon thee. It is that 
 thou shalt keep secret all that thou seest us do, and not ask the 
 cause of our doings. ' ' The young man agreed to this. 
 
 The stranger then brought him to a bath and gave him new 
 clothes to put on, and after that he took him to the house where 
 he and his companions lived. When the young man entered, he 
 found it to be a great mansion, with lofty rooms, and large halls, 
 in each of which there was a fountain with birds singing around 
 it. The stranger conducted him into a beautiful chamber, which 
 had walls and ceiling of marble and gold, and carpets of silk. 
 In it there were ten men who sat facing one another, wearing 
 mourning garments, and weeping and wailing. The young man 
 wondered very much at this, and he was about to ask the cause, 
 but remembering the condition imposed upon him, he held his 
 tongue. 
 
 The stranger then showed him a chest containing thirty thous- 
 and pieces of gold, and told him to use the money in buying what 
 was wanted for the house, and what he might need himself. 
 The young man did so, and continued to attend upon the stran- 
 gers for some time until one of them died. His companions 
 then dressed the dead man and buried him in the garden behind 
 the mansion. Soon afterwards another of them died and he was 
 buried in the same way, and in a little while another, and before 
 very long they were all dead except the young man and the 
 stranger who had hired him. Then they two remained in the house 
 and lived in it together for several years. At last the stranger 
 fell sick, and when the young man saw that he was near death, he 
 was much grieved, and he said, " O my master, I have served 
 you faithfully for twelve years, and you have been my friend, 
 and now I must lose you. But I beg you to tell me what has 
 
250 
 
 been the cause of your weeping, and the mourning and wailing 
 of your companions who are dead ? ' ' The sick man answered, 
 " My son, you have no concern with that, and do not inquire 
 about it. If you desire to be safe from that which happened 
 to us, do not open that door [and he pointed with his hand to a 
 door], for if you do, you will have cause to repent when repent- 
 ance will be too late. ' ' Then the sick man got worse, and soon 
 he died, and the young man buried him in the garden by the side 
 of his companions. 
 
 The young man now remained alone in the house, and he re- 
 solved not to open the door. But one day, thinking upon the 
 words of the stranger and his caution not to open the door, it 
 occurred to his mind that he might look at it. So he went up to 
 it, and he found that it was a beautiful door, and that the spiders 
 had woven their webs over it, and that it had locks of steel. 
 But while he was looking at it, he again remembered the caution 
 of the dead man, and he went away from the door, again resolv- 
 ing not to open it. In a few days, however, he began once more 
 to think of the door, and going up to it again, he could no longer 
 resist the temptation to open it. "I must open that door," he 
 said, " and see what will happen to me in consequence." And 
 so he broke the locks and opened the door. 
 
 Then he saw a narrow passage, and he walked along it for three 
 hours until he came upon the banks of a great river. The young 
 man wondered at this, and he walked along the bank, looking to 
 the right and left. In a few minutes a great eagle appeared 
 in the sky, and it swooped down upon him and seized him in its 
 claws. Then it flew away with him, and, carrying him to an 
 island, far out in the sea, threw him down upon it, and de- 
 parted. The young man was greatly terrified and did not know 
 what to do, but while he was sitting down, grieving over his 
 case, he saw the sail of a vessel far off. He watched it until it 
 came nearer and nearer and at last it came to the island. Then 
 he went to the water's edge where the vessel was, and he saw 
 that it was a bark of ivory and ebony. The oars were of sandal- 
 
251 
 
 wood and aloes wood, and the whole of it was incased in plates 
 of gold. 
 
 In this bark there were ten beautiful maidens, and when they 
 saw the young man they landed and kissed his hands, saying, 
 ' ' Thou art our king. ' ' Then one of them went up to him, hav- 
 ing in her hand a cloth of silk which contained a royal robe and 
 a crown of gold set with jewels, and she put the robe on the 
 young man, and put the crown upon his head. Then they car- 
 ried him into the bark and sailed away. 
 
 When they came in sight of land, the young man saw on the 
 shore a great number of soldiers clad in coats of mail. As soon 
 as he landed, a beautiful horse was brought to him, having a sad- 
 dle of gold decked with pearls and other precious stones. He 
 mounted the horse, and banners were set over his head, drums 
 and cymbals were beaten, and the troops divided and marched 
 along beside him. They soon came in sight of a beautiful 
 meadow, in which there were palaces and gardens and trees and 
 rivers and flowers and birds. From these gardens and palaces 
 there came forth an army which filled the meadow, and in front 
 of the army rode a king upon a magnificent horse, with officers 
 following him. 
 
 The king rode towards the young man, and, having come up to 
 him, alighted, and the young man did the same. After saluting 
 each other politely they remounted their horses, and the king said 
 to the young man, " Accompany us, for thou art my guest." 
 So the young man went with the king, and they rode on to the 
 palace, where all alighted from their horses. Then they entered 
 the palace, and the king seated the young man on a throne of 
 gold and sat down by his side. And when the king sat down 
 he removed from his face a veil which had covered part of it, and 
 the young man immediately saw that the supposed king was a 
 lady of beauty and loveliness. The young man was greatly 
 surprised, but more so when the lady said to him, " O king, I 
 am the queen of this land. All these troops that thou hast seen 
 are women. There are not any men among them. The men, 
 
252 
 
 in this country, till, and sow, and reap, employing themselves in 
 the cultivation of the land, and the building of houses, and in 
 every kind of art and trade. But as to the women, they are the 
 governors, and the magistrates, and the soldiers." 
 
 The young man wondered exceedingly at this. While they 
 were talking, the vizier came in. She was an old, gray-haired 
 woman of venerable appearance, and the queen said to her, 
 " Vizier, bring us a magistrate and witnesses." The old woman 
 immediately went out for that purpose, and the queen, turning 
 to the young man, said to him, " Art thou content for me to be 
 thy wife ? ' ' The young man arose and kissed the ground before 
 her, and replied, " O queen, I am not worthy. I am less than 
 the servants who serve thee. " But the queen bade him rise, 
 saying, " All these servants and soldiers and wealth and palaces 
 and gardens shall be thine." Then, pointing to a door, she 
 said, " Everything thou seest here thou canst make use of ac- 
 cording to thy pleasure, but this door thou must not open, for if 
 thou open it, thou wilt repent when repentance will be too late." 
 Then the vizier and the magistrate and the witnesses, all venera- 
 ble old women, came in, and the queen ordered them to perform 
 the ceremony of the marriage contract. So they married her to 
 the young man, and after the marriage they had a grand feast. 
 The young man was then a king, and he lived with the queen his 
 wife for seven years, passing the most delightful and agreeable 
 and happy life, and not troubling himself about the door. 
 
 But one day he thought he would open it, for he said to him- 
 self, " There must be some very valuable treasure inside that 
 door, something far better than anything I have yet seen, else 
 she would not forbid me to open it. " So he went and opened 
 the door, but instead of a treasure, he saw the great eagle that 
 had carried him years before from the bank of the river, and 
 laid him down in the island. The moment the bird beheld him, 
 it said, " No welcome to a face that will never be happy." 
 When the young man heard these words he attempted to flee, 
 but the eagle seized him and carried him off. It flew with him 
 
253 
 
 for the space of an hour, and set him down on the bank of the 
 river from which it had first taken him. The young man sat in 
 that place, and when he thought of what had happened to him 
 he wept and 'wailed. He remained upon the shore of the river 
 for two months, wishing that he could return to the home of his 
 youth. But one night while he was awake, mourning and think- 
 ing of what he had lost, he heard a voice calling out, " How 
 great were thy delights ! Far, far from thee is the return of what 
 is past. And how many will be thy sighs ! ' ' When he heard this 
 he despaired of meeting the queen again, or returning to the pal- 
 ace in which he had so much happiness. He then entered the 
 mansion where the stranger and his ten companions had resided, 
 and he knew that the same had happened to them as had hap- 
 pened to him, and that this was the cause of their weeping and 
 mourning. So grief and anxiety came upon him, and he began 
 to weep and wail as they had done. He never laughed or smiled 
 again during his life, and when he died he was buried in the 
 garden by the side of the stranger and his ten companions. 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER. 
 
 In the reign of the Caliph Muntasir Billah, a prince famous 
 for his liberality to the poor, there were ten robbers who com- 
 mitted a great many robberies and murders in Bagdad. The 
 caliph, being informed of this, sent for the chief of police, and 
 ordered him to bring all the ten to him in a boat. The chief of 
 police sent so many people in search of the robbers that they 
 were all taken on the same day. 
 
 Now it happened that on that day there was a barber, an old 
 man, walking on the bank of the Tigris, and he saw the ten rob- 
 bers taken into a boat. If he had noticed the guards who had 
 them in charge he might have seen that they were robbers, but 
 his attention was fixed on the men themselves, and, thinking 
 they were people who intended to spend the day in amusement, 
 
254 
 
 he entered the boat with them, hoping that they would not object 
 to his being one of the company. The boat went down the Tigris, 
 and stopped before the caliph's palace. By this time, the barber 
 had discovered his mistake. When they left the boat, they were 
 surrounded by a new troop of the police guard, who bound them 
 all, and carried them before the caliph. The barber was bound 
 as well as the rest, but he did not speak a word, for it would have 
 been useless for him to speak or make any resistance. By 
 doing that he would have got himself illtreated by the guards, 
 who would not have listened to him. He was with the robbers, 
 and that was enough to make them believe he was one of them. 
 
 When they were brought before the caliph he ordered that 
 the heads of the robbers be cut off immediately. The execu- 
 tioner drew them up in file within reach of his arm, the barber 
 happening to b c , placed last. . He then cut off the heads of the 
 ten robbers, beginning at the first. When he came to the barber 
 he stopped, at which the caliph was angry. " Did I not order 
 you, ' ' said he, ' ' to cut off the heads of ten robbers, and why 
 have you cut off but nine ? " " Commander of the Faithful," 
 he replied, " Heaven preserve me from disobeying your Majesty's 
 orders. Here are ten bodies upon the ground, and as many 
 heads which I have cut off; your Majesty may count them." 
 When the caliph saw that what the executioner said was true, he 
 looked at the barber with amazement, and said to him, " Old 
 man, how came you to be among those robbers ? ' ' The barber 
 answered, " Commander of the Faithful, I will make a true con- 
 fession. This morning I saw those ten persons enter the boat. 
 I embarked with them, thinking that they were going on a 
 holiday excursion." 
 
 The caliph could not help laughing at the barber's adventure, 
 and he admired his wisdom and silence in the boat. " Com- 
 mander of the Faithful," said the barber, " your Majesty need 
 not wonder at my silence on such an occasion. I am remarkable 
 for holding my tongue, and on that account have got the title of 
 Silent, by which I am known from my four brothers. " "I am 
 
255 
 
 glad," said the caliph, smiling, " that they gave you a title which 
 you deserve so well. But tell me, what sort of men were your 
 brothers ? were they like you ? " " By no means," replied the 
 barber, " they were all of them talkative fellows. And in their 
 appearance there was still a greater difference between them and 
 me. The first was blind, the second had but one eye, the third 
 had his ears cut off, and the fourth had harelips. They met with 
 strange adventures which I shall be glad to relate to your Ma- 
 jesty. " As the caliph wished to hear the stories, the barber 
 went on as follows : 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S FIRST BROTHER. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, my first brother, whose name was 
 Bakbak, was blind, and he made his living by begging from door 
 to door. He had been so long accustomed to walk through the 
 streets alone that he needed nobody to lead hinK He had a 
 custom to knock at people's doors, and not answer till they 
 opened to him. One day he knocked at the door of a house, 
 and the master, who was alone, cried, ' ' Who is 'there ? ' ' My 
 brother made no answer, and knocked a second time; the mas- 
 ter of the house asked again and again, " Who is there ? " but 
 my brother did not answer. The master then came down, 
 opened the door, and asked what he wanted. ' ' Give me some- 
 thing, for Heaven's sake," said Bakbak. " You seem to be 
 blind," replied the master of the house. " Yes, to my sorrow, " 
 answered my brother. " Give me your hand," said the master 
 of the house. My brother did so, thinking he was going to give 
 him alms, but he only took him by the hand to lead him up to 
 his chamber. Bakbak thought he was bringing him to dine with 
 him, as many other people had done. 
 
 When they reached the chamber, the man let go his hand, 
 and, sitting down, asked my brother again what he wanted. ' ' I 
 have already told you," said Bakbak, " that I want some alms, 
 
256 
 
 as I am blind. " " Good blind man, ' ' replied the master of the 
 house, " all that I can do for you is to wish that you may regain 
 your sight." " You might have told me that at the door," re- 
 plied my brother, " and not have given me the trouble to come 
 upstairs." " And why," said the man of the house, " did you 
 not answer at first, when I asked who was there ? Why did you 
 give me the trouble to come and open the door? " " What 
 will you do with me then ? ' ' asked my brother. ' ' I tell you 
 again, ' ' said the man of the house, ' ' I have nothing to give you. ' ' 
 Help me downstairs then, as you brought me up, ' ' said Bakbak. 
 "The stairs are before you," replied the man of the house, 
 " and you may go down by yourself." My brother attempted 
 to go down, but missing a step about the middle of the stairs, 
 he fell to the bottom and hurt his head and back. He got up 
 with difficulty, and went out, abusing the master of the house, 
 who laughed at his fall. 
 
 As my brother went out of the house, two blind men, his com- 
 panions, who were passing by, knew him by his voice, and asked 
 him what was the matter. He told them what had happened, 
 and said, " I have eaten nothing to-day; I beg you to come 
 along with me to my house, that I may take some of the money 
 that we three have in common, to buy me something for supper." 
 The two blind men agreed, and they went home with him. 
 
 Now the master of the house where my brother was so ill-used 
 was a robber, of a cunning and evil disposition. He overheard 
 from his window what Bakbak said to his companions, and he 
 came down and followed them to my brother's house, and went 
 in unknown to them. The blind men being seated, Bakbak said 
 to them, " Brothers, we must shut the door, and take care there 
 is no stranger with us." At this the robber was much alarmed, 
 but seeing a rope hanging down from a beam, he caught hold of 
 it, and hung by it, while the blind men shut the door, and felt 
 about the room with their sticks. When they had done this, and 
 sat again in their places, the robber left his rope, and seated 
 himself softly by my brother, who, thinking he was alone with 
 
257 
 
 his blind comrades, said to them, " Brothers, the last time we 
 counted our money you know we had ten thousand pieces of 
 silver, and that we put them into ten bags. I will show you that 
 I have not touched one of them." 
 
 He then put his hand among some old clothes, and, taking out 
 the bags, one after another, gave them to his comrades, saying, 
 "There they are; you may count them if you please." His 
 comrades answered that they did not doubt his word. Then he 
 opened one of the bags and took out ten pieces, and each of the 
 other men did the same. My brother put the bags into their 
 place again, after which one of the blind men said to him, 
 " There is no need to lay out anything for supper, for I have 
 collected as much victuals from good people as wilt serve us all." 
 At the same time he took out of his bag bread and cheese and 
 fruit, and when he had put all upon the table, they began to eat. 
 
 The robber, who sat at my brother's right hand, picked out 
 the best, and ate with them, but though he took great care to 
 make no noise, Bakbak heard him eating, and cried out imme- 
 diately, " We are undone! there is a stranger among us! " He 
 then stretched out his hand, and, catching hold of the robber by 
 the arm, fell upon him and struck him. The other blind men 
 fell upon him in like manner. The robber defended himself as 
 well as he could, and, being young and strong, and having the 
 use of his eyes, gave furious blows, sometimes to one, sometimes 
 to another. The neighbors, hearing the noise, broke open the 
 door and went in. They had much to do to separate the fight- 
 ers, but at last succeeded. Then they asked the cause of the 
 quarrel. My brother, who still had hold of the robber, cried 
 out, " This man I have hold of is a thief, and he stole in with 
 us on purpose to rob us of the little money we have. ' ' The thief, 
 who shut his eyes as soon as the neighbors came in, pretending 
 to be blind, cried out, " I declare to you that I am their com- 
 panion, and they refuse to give me my share. They all three have 
 fallen upon me, and I demand justice." The neighbors would 
 not interfere in the quarrel, but took them all before the judge. 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS 17 
 
258 
 
 When they came before the judge, the robber, without waiting 
 to be questioned, cried out, still pretending to be blind, " Sir, 
 I declare to you that we are all robbers, my three comrades and 
 I, but we have agreed among ourselves to confess nothing unless 
 we are flogged, so that if you wish to know about our crimes you 
 have only to flog us, and you may begin with me. ' ' My brother 
 would have spoken, but was not allowed to do so. 
 
 The robber, being put under the lash, had the courage to bear 
 twenty or thirty blows. Then, pretending to be overcome with 
 pain, he first opened one eye, and in a little while afterwards the 
 other, and, crying out for mercy, begged the judge to put a stop 
 to the blows. The judge, much surprised at seeing his eyes 
 open, said to him, " Villain, what is the meaning of this mira- 
 cle ?" " Sir," replied the robber, " I will tell you a secret, if 
 you will pardon me, and give me, as a pledge that you will keep 
 your word, the seal ring which you have on your finger. ' ' 
 
 The judge consented, gave him his ring, and promised him 
 pardon. Then the robber said, " I confess to you, sir, that I and 
 my three comrades can all of us see very well. We pretend to 
 be blind, and by this trick we have gained together ten thousand 
 pieces of silver. This day I demanded of my comrades two 
 thousand five hundred as my share, but they refused because I 
 told them I would leave them, and they were afraid I might 
 discover on them. If you want to make them confess the truth, 
 you must order them three times as many blows as I have had, 
 and you will find that they will open their eyes as well as I have 
 done." " Villains," said the judge to my brother and his com- 
 panions, " do you pretend to be blind, and cheat people, and 
 commit such crimes ? " " He is an impostor, ' ' cried my 
 brother, " and we take God to witness that none of us can see." 
 
 But all that my brother could say was useless. His comrades 
 and he received each of them two hundred blows. The judge 
 expected them to open their eyes, and thought it was through 
 obstinacy that they did not do what they really could not do. 
 The robber then addressing the judge, said, " I see, sir, that 
 
259 
 
 they will be obstinate to the last. It is better, if you think fit, 
 to pardon them, and to send some person along with me for the 
 ten thousand pieces of silver they have hidden." This was im- 
 mediately done, and when the money was brought to the judge's 
 house, he gave the robber two thousand five hundred pieces, and 
 kept the rest himself. As for my brother and his two compan- 
 ions, he ordered them to be banished from the city. 
 
 When I heard what had happened to my brother, I went to 
 him, and brought him back secretly. I could easily have proved 
 to the judge that he was innocent, and have the robber punished 
 as he deserved, but I dared not do so for fear of bringing myself 
 into danger of being killed by the robber. 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S SECOND BROTHER. 
 
 Alcouz was the name of my second brother. He was a 
 butcher. He had a very good trade, and had his store always 
 full of the best meat. One day an old man, with a long white 
 beard, came and bought six pounds of meat, gave my brother the 
 money for it, and went away. My brother thought the money 
 so pure and well coined that he put it apart by itself. The same 
 old man came every day for five months, bought the same 
 quantity of meat, and paid for it in the same kind of money, 
 which my brother continued to lay apart. 
 
 At the end of five months, Alcouz, wishing to buy a lot of 
 sheep, and to pay for them in this money, opened his chest, but 
 instead of finding money, he was surprised to see nothing in the 
 place where he had left it but a parcel of leaves clipped round. 
 He beat his head, and cried aloud, which at once brought the 
 neighbors about him, who were as much surprised as he when he 
 told them the story. Just at that moment happening to see the 
 old man in the street, he ran out and laid hands on him. " Mus- 
 sulmans," cried he, as loud as he could, " help! hear what a 
 cheat this wicked fellow is," and at the same time he told a 
 
260 
 
 great crowd of people, who came about him, what he had already 
 told his neighbors. When he had done, the old man said to him 
 very quietly, " You had better let me go for fear I may do 
 something worse to you, which I should be sorry to do." 
 " How ? " said my brother, " what have you to say against me ? 
 I am an honest man in my business, and fear neither you nor 
 anybody. " " You will have me speak out, then ? ' ' replied the 
 old man, and turning to the crowd, he said to them, " Good 
 people, this fellow, instead of selling mutton as he ought to do, 
 sells human flesh. Go into his shop and see for yourselves if 
 what I say is not true." 
 
 The mob ran like madmen into the shop, where they saw, to 
 all appearance, a man hung up dead, as the old man had said; 
 for he was a magician, and deceived the eyes of all the people, 
 as he did my brother when he made him take leaves instead of 
 money. At this sight, one of the crowd gave Alcouz a violent 
 blow with his fist, and said to him, "Wicked villain! dost thou 
 make us eat man's flesh instead of mutton ? " At the same time 
 the old man gave him another blow, which beat out one of his 
 eyes. Everybody that could get near struck him, and not con- 
 tent with that, they carried him before a judge. The judge 
 would believe nothing of the story of the money changed into 
 leaves, but called my brother a cheat, and ordered him to receive 
 five hundred blows. He afterwards made him tell where his 
 money was, took it all from him, and banished him forever from 
 the city. 
 
 But this was not the end of my brother's misfortunes. In the 
 city to which he went after his banishment, he happened one 
 day to be standing near the gate of a house, when two servants 
 came and collared him, saying, " Heaven be praised that you 
 have come of your own accord to give yourself up ! You have 
 alarmed us so much these last three nights that we could not 
 sleep." My brother was much surprised. " Good people," 
 said he, ' ' I know not what you mean ; you certainly take me for 
 somebody else." " No, no," replied they, " we know that you 
 
26 1 
 
 and your comrades are robbers. Let us see if you have not the 
 knife about you which you had in your hand when you ran after 
 us last night." Having thus spoken, they searched him, and 
 found that he had a knife. " Ho! ho! " cried they, laying hold 
 of him, " do you dare now to say that you are not a robber ? " 
 " Why," said my brother, " may not a man carry a knife about 
 him without being a robber ? If you will listen to my story, 
 instead of having so bad an opinion of me, you will be touched 
 with pity at my misfortunes. ' ' 
 
 The two servants, however, not only refused to listen to him, 
 but took him before the judge, who asked him why he dared to 
 go into people's houses, and pursue them with a drawn knife. 
 " Sir," replied the unfortunate Alcouz, " I am the most innocent 
 man in the world ; be pleased to hear me patiently. " " Sir, ' ' 
 exclaimed one of the servants, " will you listen to a robber, who 
 enters people's houses to rob and murder them ? If you will not 
 believe us, only look upon his back. ' ' 
 
 While he said so, he uncovered my brother's back, and showed 
 to the judge the marks of the stripes he had formerly received. 
 The judge, without any further inquiry or information, com- 
 manded his officers to immediately give him a hundred lashes 
 over the shoulders, and had him afterwards carried through the 
 town on a camel, with one crying before him, " Thus are men 
 punished who enter people's houses by force." After having 
 so treated him, they banished him from the town, and forbade 
 him ever to return. Being informed of this misfortune, I went 
 and brought him to Bagdad privately, and gave him all the 
 assistance I could. 
 
 The caliph was pleased to pity the unfortunate Alcouz, and 
 ordered something to be given to the barber for him. But with- 
 out allowing the servants time to carry out the caliph's order, 
 the barber continued his discourse, and said to him, " My 
 sovereign lord and master, since your Majesty has been pleased 
 to listen to me so far, I beg you to also hear the adventures of 
 mv other two brothers." 
 
262 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S THIRD BROTHER. 
 
 My third brother was called Alnaschar. He was very lazy* as 
 long as our father lived. Instead of working he used to beg, and 
 lived upon what he got. The old man, our father, at his death 
 left five hundred pieces of silver, which we divided equally among 
 us. Alnaschar, who never before possessed so much money, was 
 much puzzled to know what to do with it. He at last resolved 
 to lay it out in glassware, which he might sell at a profit. This 
 he accordingly did, and with his basket of glassware he sat in a 
 public place to sell it, . leaning his back against a wall. 
 
 Seated thus with his eyes fixed on the basket, he began to think 
 of his plans for the future. " This basket," said he to himself, 
 " cost me a hundred pieces of silver, which was all I had in the 
 world. I shall make two hundred by retailing my glass, and of 
 these two hundred, which I will again lay out in glassware, I 
 shall make four hundred, and going on thus, I shall at last make 
 four thousand pieces of silver. Of four thousand I shall easily 
 make eight thousand, and when I come to ten thousand, I will 
 leave off selling glass, and turn jeweler. I will trade in diamonds, 
 pearls, and all sorts of precious stones. Then when I am as rich 
 as I can wish, I will buy a fine house, a great estate, slaves, and 
 horses. I will then ask the grand vizier's daughter in marriage. 
 I will dress myself like a prince, and mounted upon a fine horse, 
 with a saddle of gold, and trappings of cloth of gold, finely em- 
 broidered with diamonds and pearls, I will ride through the city, 
 attended by slaves, before and behind. I will go to the vizier's 
 palace in view of all the people, who will show me the greatest 
 respect. When I alight at the foot of the vizier's staircase, I 
 will ascend through my own slaves, ranged in files on the right 
 and left, and the grand vizier will receive me as his son-in-law, 
 and give me his right hand, and set me above him, to do me the 
 more honor. ' ' 
 
 My brother's mind was so full of these thoughts that he quite 
 forgot where he was, and in moving his foot he tossed over the 
 
263 
 
 basket, so that the glass was all thrown down and broken into a 
 thousand pieces. Then he came to himself, and seeing what 
 had happened, he beat his face, tore his clothes, and cried so 
 loud that the people stopped to inquire what was the matter. 
 A lady of rank, passing by upon a mule with rich trappings, was 
 moved to pity at his grief. She immediately turned to her purse 
 bearer who attended her, and said to him, " Give the poor man 
 what you have about you. ' ' The slave obeyed, and put into my 
 brother's hand a purse with five hundred pieces of gold. Alna- 
 schar was ready to die with joy when he received it. He gave a 
 thousand blessings to the lady, and, departing, went to his house. 
 
 While thinking over his good luck, he heard somebody knock 
 at the door. Before he opened, he asked who it was, and, know- 
 ing by the voice that it was a woman, he let her in. ' ' My son, ' ' 
 said she, " I have a favor to beg of you; the hour of prayer is 
 come; let me pray in your house." My brother granted her 
 request. When she had finished her prayers, she came to my 
 brother and bowed twice to the ground, so low that she touched 
 it with her forehead. Being poorly clad, my brother thought 
 she asked alms, and he offered her two pieces of gold. The old 
 woman stepped back in surprise, as if my brother had insulted 
 her. "Is it possible, sir," said she, " that you take me for a 
 beggar ? I don't need your money. I live with a young lady 
 of this city, who is beautiful and very rich, and she lets me want 
 for nothing. ' ' My brother was not sharp enough to see the craft 
 of the old woman, who refused the two pieces of gold only that 
 she might catch more. He asked her if she could procure him 
 the honor of seeing that lady. " With all my heart," she re- 
 plied; " take up your money, and follow me." 
 
 My brother, rejoicing at the prospect of seeing a rich and 
 beautiful lady, whom he hoped to make his wife, took his five 
 hundred pieces of gold, and followed the old woman. She 
 walked on to the gate of a great house, where she knocked. 
 A young Greek slave opened the gate. The old woman brought 
 my brother into a handsome hall, where she left him. The 
 
264 
 
 young lady soon entered. Her beauty and rich dress surprised 
 him. He rose as soon as he saw her. The lady, with smiling 
 countenance, invited him to sit down again, and shortly after- 
 wards conducted him into an inner chamber, where she talked 
 with him for some time. She then left him, saying that she 
 would be with him in a moment. He waited for her, but instead 
 of the lady, a great black slave came in with a sword in his hand, 
 and looking at my brother, said to him fiercely, " What is your 
 business here ? ' ' Alnaschar was so frightened that he had not 
 the power to answer. The slave then stripped him, carried off 
 his gold, and gave him several wounds with his sword. 
 
 My unhappy brother fell to the ground, where he lay without 
 motion, though he still had the use of his senses. The black 
 and the Greek slave having left the room, the old woman, who 
 had enticed my brother into the snare, came and dragged him 
 by the feet to a trapdoor, and threw him into a place under- 
 ground, among the bodies of several other people who had been 
 murdered. He recovered strength by degrees, so as to be able 
 to walk, and, after two days, opened the trapdoor in the night, 
 and made his escape. He then came to me for help and told 
 me of his adventures. 
 
 In a month's time he was perfectly cured of his wounds by 
 medicines that I gave him, and he resolved to have revenge upon 
 the old woman. With this object he took a bag large enough to 
 contain five hundred pieces of gold, and filled it with pieces of 
 glass. He then dressed himself like an old woman, and took a 
 sword under his cloak. He soon met the old woman walking 
 through the town. Going up to her, and speaking in a woman's 
 voice, he said, ' ' Can you lend me a pair of scales ? I am newly 
 come from Persia, have brought five hundred pieces of gold with 
 me, and wish to know if they are the right weight. " " Good 
 woman," answered the old hag, " You could not have applied 
 to a fitter person. Follow me; I will conduct you to my son, 
 who changes money, and he will weigh them to save you the 
 trouble." My brother followed her to the house to which 
 
265 
 
 she had brought him before, and the Greek slave opened the 
 door. 
 
 The old woman took my brother to the hall, where she re- 
 quested him to wait till she called her son. The pretended son 
 came, and proved to be the villainous black slave. " Come, old 
 woman, ' ' said he to my brother, ' ' rise and follow me. ' ' Having 
 spoken thus, he went before to conduct my brother to the place, 
 where the trapdoor was, which led to the underground passage. 
 Alnaschar got up, followed him, and, drawing his sword, gave him 
 such a blow in the back of the neck that he killed him with the 
 one stroke. Then he threw his dead body into the place under- 
 ground. The wicked old woman came running in at the noise, 
 and my brother, seizing her, said, "Wretch, do you not know 
 me ? " " Alas, sir," answered she, trembling, " who are you ? 
 I do not remember that I ever saw you." " I am," replied he, 
 " the person to whose house you came the other day to say your 
 prayers. Wicked woman, do you not remember ? ' ' Then she 
 fell on her knees to beg his pardon, but he slew her with his 
 sword. 
 
 He now went to look for the lady, and found her in the 
 inner room, "Madam," said he, "how could you live with 
 such wicked people ? ' ' Then she told my brother this story : 
 
 " I was wife to an honest merchant, and the old woman, 
 whose wickedness I did not then know, used sometimes to come 
 and see me. ' Madam,' said she to me one day, ' we have a 
 wedding at our house, which you will be pleased to see, if you 
 will give us the honor of your company. ' I put on my best 
 dress, took with me a hundred pieces of gold, and followed the 
 old woman. She brought me to this house, where the black has 
 since kept me by force, and I have been three years here to my 
 great sorrow." " By the trade which that wicked black fol- 
 lowed," replied my brother, " he must have gathered together a 
 vast deal of riches." " There is so much," said she, " that you 
 will be wealthy forever if you can carry them off; follow me, and 
 you shall see them." Alnaschar followed her to a chamber, 
 
266 
 
 where she showed him several chests full of gold, which he beheld 
 with admiration. ' ' Go, ' ' said she, ' ' and fetch people to help 
 you carry them all off." 
 
 My brother went out, got ten men, and brought them with 
 him, but on his return he was surprised to find the gate open, 
 and the lady and the chests gone, for she, being more active 
 than he, had conveyed them all off and disappeared. However, 
 he resolved not to go away empty-handed, and so he carried 
 off all the furniture of the house, which was a great deal more 
 than enough to make up for the five hundred pieces of gold he 
 had been robbed of. But when he went out of the house, he 
 forgot to shut the gate. The neighbors, who saw him and the 
 men come and go, went and informed the cadi, for they looked 
 upon his conduct as suspicious. Early next morning, when my 
 brother came out of his house, twenty of the cadi's men seized 
 him. " Come along with us," said they, " our master desires 
 to speak with you. ' ' 
 
 When brought before him, the cadi asked my brother where 
 he got the things which he carried home the day before. My 
 brother then told him the whole story, from beginning to end, 
 about the old woman coming into his house to say her prayers, 
 why he had killed the black, the slave, and the old woman, and 
 about the escape of the lady, and he begged the judge to leave 
 him part of the furniture for the five hundred pieces of gold of 
 which he had been robbed. 
 
 The judge, without promising anything, sent his officers to 
 bring off the whole, and, having put the goods into his own 
 house, commanded my brother to quit the town immediately, 
 and never to return, for he was afraid that if he staid in the city 
 he would complain to the caliph. 
 
 Alnaschar at once obeyed. He left that town to go to another, 
 but on the way he met robbers, who stripped him naked and cut 
 off his ears. When the news reached me, I carried him handsome 
 clothes, and brought him secretly into the town, where I took 
 care of him as I did of my other brothers. 
 
267 
 
 STORY OF THE BARBER'S FOURTH BROTHER. 
 
 I have now only to tell the story of my fourth brother, called 
 Schacabac. At first he was industrious enough to make profit 
 with the hundred pieces of silver which fell to his share, but a 
 reverse of fortune brought him to poverty. One day, as he 
 passed by a magnificent house where there was a multitude of 
 servants, he went to one of them, and asked him to whom the 
 house belonged. " Good man," replied the servant, " are you 
 a stranger that you ask such a question ? Does not all that you 
 see show you that it is the palace of a Barmecide ? ' ' My 
 brother, who very well knew the liberality and generosity of the 
 Barmecide family, then begged one of the servants for alms. 
 " Go in," said the servant, " nobody hinders you. Speak to 
 the master of the house ; he will give you what you need. ' ' 
 
 My brother thanked the servant, and entered the palace. He 
 went on till he came into a hall richly furnished, and adorned 
 with beautiful paintings. Here he saw a venerable man with a 
 long white beard, sitting at the upper end on a sofa. He sup- 
 posed him to be the master of the house, which in fact he was. 
 It was the Barmecide himself, and he said to my brother, in a 
 very civil manner, that he was welcome, and asked him what he 
 wanted. " My lord," answered my brother, " I am a poor 
 man, and I am in need of help. I have not eaten one bit to- 
 day." " Is it true," exclaimed the Barmecide, " that you are 
 fasting till now ? Alas, poor man, you must be ready to die for 
 hunger. Ho, boy! " cried he with a loud voice, " bring a basin 
 and water, that we may wash our hands. ' ' Though no boy ap- 
 peared, and my brother saw neither water nor basin, the Barme- 
 cide fe.ll to rubbing his hands as if water had been poured upon 
 them, and he bade my brother come and wash with him. Schac- 
 abac, thinking from this that the Barmecide lord liked a joke, 
 came forward and did as he was required. He rubbed his hands 
 as if washing them. 
 
 " Come on," said the Barmecide to the servants, " bring us 
 
268 
 
 something to eat, and do not let us wait." The servants im- 
 mediately began to come and go as though they were bringing 
 various kinds of food to the table, and the Barmecide, taking 
 my brother to the imaginary table and sitting down with him, 
 began to move his hands and lips as if eating. Then he said to 
 my brother, " Come, friend, eat as freely as if you were at 
 home. You said you were like to die of hunger, but you seem 
 to have no appetite. " " Pardon me, my lord, ' ' said Schacabac, 
 who imitated what the Barmecide did, " you see I lose no time." 
 "How like you this bread?" said the Barmecide; "do you 
 not find it very good ? " " My lord," replied my brother, who 
 saw neither bread nor meat, " I have never eaten bread so white 
 and so fine." " Eat your fill," said the Barmecide. " I assure 
 you the slave who bakes this bread cost me five hundred pieces 
 of gold." The Barmecide then cried, " Boy, bring us another 
 dish ; ' ' and though no boy appeared, the master said, ' ' Come, 
 my good friend, taste this new dish, and tell me if ever you ate 
 better mutton and barley broth." "It is good," replied my 
 brother, " and therefore you see I eat heartily." " You oblige 
 me highly," said the Barmecide. " I beg you, then, to eat it 
 all up, since you like it so well." 
 
 A little while afterwards he called for a goose and sweet sauce. 
 He then called for several other good things, of which my brother 
 pretended to eat, but what he boasted of most were chickens 
 stuffed with nuts, which he ordered to be brought up. " I knew 
 you would like this dish," said the Barmecide. " There is 
 nothing in the world finer," replied my brother, "it is most 
 delicious." " Come, bring the hash. I fancy you will like 
 that as well as you did the chickens. Well, how do you rel- 
 ish it?" 
 
 " Oh, it is wonderful," replied Schacabac, " for here we taste 
 all at once cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and the most agreea- 
 ble herbs, and all these are so well mixed that one does not pre- 
 vent our tasting the other." "How pleasant! Honor this 
 hash," said the Barmecide, "by eating heartily of it. Ho! 
 
269 
 
 boy ! bring us more hash. " ' ' No, my lord, please, ' ' replied my 
 brother, " for indeed I can eat no more." 
 
 " Come, take it away, then," said the Barmecide, " and bring 
 the fruit. ' ' He stayed a moment, as it were to give time for his 
 servants to carry it away and bring the fruit, after which he ad- 
 dressed my brother: " Taste these almonds, they are good and 
 fresh-gathered. ' ' Both of them made as if peeling the almonds 
 and eating them. Then the Barmecide invited my brother to 
 eat something else. " Look," said he, " there are all sorts of 
 fruits, cakes, dry sweetmeats, and preserves. Take what you 
 like." Then stretching out his hand, as if he had reached my 
 brother something, he still bade him eat, and said to him, " I 
 think you do not eat as if you were as hungry as you complained 
 of being when you came in. " " My lord, ' ' replied Schacabac, 
 whose jaws ached with moving and having nothing to eat, " I 
 assure you I am so full that I cannot eat one bit more." 
 
 " Well then, friend," said the Barmecide, " we must drink 
 some wine now, after we have eaten so well." " I will drink 
 through respect for you, if you insist upon it, ' ' said Schacabac, 
 " but as I am not accustomed to drink wine, I am afraid I shall 
 act contrary to the respect that is due to you; therefore I pray 
 you to excuse me from drinking wine. I will be content with 
 water. " No, no," said the Barmecide, " you shall drink wine," 
 and at the same time he commanded the servants to bring some. 
 Then he made as if he poured out wine, and drank first himself, 
 and pouring out for my brother, presented him the glass, saying 
 " Drink my health, and let us know if you think this wine good." 
 My brother made as if he took the glass, and looked as if the 
 color was good. He then bowed to the Barmecide, to signify 
 that he took the liberty to drink his health, and he appeared to 
 drink with all signs of a man that drinks with pleasure. " My 
 lord," said he, " this is very excellent wine, but I think it is not 
 strong enough." " If you wish to have stronger," answered 
 the Barmecide, " you need only speak, for 1 have several sorts 
 in my cellar. Try how you like this, ' ' making as if he poured 
 
270 
 
 out another glass for himself and one for my brother. This he 
 did several times. At last Schacabac, pretending to be intoxi- 
 cated, and acting the part of a drunken man, lifted up his hand 
 and gave the Barmecide such a box on the ear as made him fall 
 down. He was going to give him another blow, but the Barme- 
 cide, holding up his hand to ward it off, cried, " Are you mad ? " 
 Then my brother, making as if he had come to himself again, 
 said, " My lord, you have been so good as to admit me into 
 your house, and give me a treat. You should have been satisfied 
 with making me eat, and not have made me drink wine, for I 
 told you beforehand that it might cause me to fail in my respect 
 for you. I am very sorry for it, and beg your pardon. ' ' 
 
 Scarcely had he finished these words, when the Barmecide, 
 instead of being angry, began to laugh heartily. ' ' I have been 
 long, ' ' said he, ' ' looking for a man like you. I forgive the blow, 
 and I wish that in future we may be friends, and that you regard 
 my house as your home. You have had the politeness to fall in 
 with my humor, and the patience to keep the jest up to the last. 
 We will now eat in good earnest. ' ' He then commanded his 
 servants to cover the table, which was speedily done, and my 
 brother was treated in reality with all those dishes which he had 
 eaten of before only in fancy. When the table was cleared a 
 number of handsome slaves, richly dressed, came and sang 
 agreeable songs and played on musical instruments. 
 
 The Barmecide found my brother to be a man of so much 
 good humor and understanding that in a few days he entrusted 
 him with the care of his household. He performed his duty well 
 in that employment for twenty years, at the end of which time 
 the Barmecide died. As he had no children, all his property 
 went to the caliph, and my brother lost his place. He then 
 joined a company of pilgrims going to Mecca, but unfortunately 
 the company was attacked and plundered by robbers. My 
 brother was taken as a slave by one of them, who flogged him 
 for several days to make him pay money for his freedom. " I 
 am your slave, ' ' said my brother, ' ' you may dispose of me as you 
 
271 
 
 please, but I declare that I am very poor, and not able to buy 
 myself." The robber, vexed at not getting the money he ex- 
 pected, slit my brother's" lips, and after he had treated him in 
 this cruel manner, he carried him on a camel to the top of a 
 mountain, where he left him. The mountain was on the road 
 to Bagdad, and the passengers who saw him there informed me 
 where he was. I went there speedily, gave him what help he 
 stood in need of, and brought him back to the city. 
 
 The caliph was so pleased with the barber and his stories that 
 he appointed him his own barber, gave him a large salary, and 
 handsome apartments near his own palace, where he lived hap- 
 pily the remainder of his life. 
 

to desk from which borrowed. 
 
 on the last date stamped below. 
 
 l4Nov'4$ 
 
 22May'50$? 
 
 !ODec'52JK 
 
 DC 14 58 
 
 
 1354 
 
 LD2 l-100m-9,'48(B399sl61476 
 
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